My Only One
by Bumping.Bees
Summary: Kiara and Kyori are different from most of the people inside the walls. They are identical twins who were found outside the walls when they were ten by the scouting legion. When they sneak away from the scouts and end up in the underground city, just how will they survive? Two strange men take them in... Will they find a home and a family with them? Or will they lose everything?
1. All Fall Down

AN: This chapter doesn't really have any warnings on it. Some will and you will find them here... This story starts 9 years before the fall of Wall Maria. I also named all of my chapters after songs (mostly done by Amalee who is a genius youtube artist) to set a mood for the chapter. There will be a lyric or two to accompany each chapter taken from the song it's named for.

I hope you enjoy this work. Feedback is very appreciated.

* * *

 _"If ever your world starts crashing down, that's when you'll find me." -OneRepublic_

A ten year old girl stood blinking up at a horse in pure confusion.

 _How did I get here?_ she wondered, feeling a warm hand squeezing hers. She glanced over at the owner of the hand, seeing a girl with violent dark red hair and indigo eyes.

 _Kyori_ , the girl's mind supplied, _my twin... And I'm Kiara. Where are we though?_

"Who are you? How did you get out of the walls?" A man demanded, drawing Kiara's attention. Kiara glanced up at the man on the horse, her brow furrowing at the tone of his voice.

"I'm Kyori. This is my sister, Kiara." Kyori squeezed her hand her again, telling her to play along.

"We don't know how we got here," Kiara added, biting her lip, "but... Can you help us, sir?"

The man frowned at the two girls, covered in dirt and who knew what else. He sighed, seemingly at a loss, but picked the two girls up and placed them in front of him on his horse.

"Erwin," another man shouted, causing the two girls to look around wearily, "what's the hold up?"

"I found two children, Shadis," the man holding them yelled back.

"What?!" Another man on a horse came, looking at the twin girls closely. "How is that possible?! It's like Grisha all over again.."

"I'm not sure how it's possible... But they are so small. It seems like a miracle they haven't been eaten or crushed."

Kiara frowned faintly, wondering what he was talking about for a moment. _Titans_ , she suddenly remembered, hugging her sister a little tighter.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll get you back to the wall and figure things out there," the other man said, noticing her discomfort.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you two safe," the man behind Kiara tried to reassure them.

Kiara nodded her head and tried to relax, knowing her sister wanted her to put up a trusting act. She let herself slump back against the man, her arms pulling her sister lean back with her.

The child was exhausted. Kiara had no idea what had happened before she had found herself face to face with the horse she was riding, but it left her bone dead tired. Her muscles were sore. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten, drank, or slept. Soon enough, the rocking of the horse's movements had the child falling asleep.

* * *

A hand shaking her woke Kiara up. She bolted upright, her hand instinctively going to the two metal disks that should have been on her back, but the hand stilled hers. "It's me," Kyori murmured.

Kiara blinked up at Kyori wearily, noting that her sister was motioning her to be quiet. Kiara took in her surroundings. She was in a dark room, lying on a sofa. The only light was coming from a couple of candles placed on a desk. She slowly stood up, tilting her head.

"Where are we?" she asked softly.

"We're in Trost. The people who rescued us are called scouts. They're soldiers, I think, anyways, they brought us to the office of one of the people who seem to be in charge. He just left now," Kyori quickly explained in a low voice, "Let's get out of here... I don't trust these people."

Kiara wanted to protest because first of all, she didn't even know what Trost was... And she had a bad feeling, like if they left, they would be in danger. Just like when titans were around. She hated having to kill them. They reminded her too much of humans.

She didn't say anything though. The man who had picked them up didn't give her a good feeling either. Something about him made her feel like he was going to take a lot from her, though she couldn't say what that was. She stood up silently and found the bag she had been wearing held out to her. Kiara slung it on over her shoulders and followed her sister to the window silently.

They were only three stories up. Kiara smiled. This was going to be easy. They had scaled taller trees when fighting titans. They climbed out of the window quickly and started climbing down the building.

Kiara paused when they reached a lit up window below them, glancing inside carefully. The man who had picked them up was inside it talking to a man behind a desk. Kiara was surprised to see that their rescuer wasn't a man, but a teenager.

Kiara quickly moved back into the shadows as the boy looked over to her. "Move, I think the guy from before saw me," she breathed, letting go of the wall to drop down the next story.

Her fingers found a crack in the wall as she fell, catching her fall a few feet from the ground. She let go again and landed on the ground softly. Kyori landed beside her a moment later.

The twins didn't stop to figure out if anyone was watching them. They stole through the night, getting as far as they could from the scouts in the building.

"Where do we go from here?" Kiara asked softly as they stole through the night.

"I'm not sure. Lets keep going North to Wall Sina. It's the furthest we can get from those monsters," Kyori said after a moment. "There are no titans in here, but I want to put as much distance between us as possible."

Kiara looked at her confused, but shrugged. "Lead the way."

Kyori grinned at her and held onto Kiara's hand, pulling her along the streets to Wall Rose. Kiara followed, making sure they weren't being pursued.

Getting through the gate in the wall was simple for the two children. No one perceived them as a threat and the people guarding the gate were lax anyways. They easily slipped by unnoticed.

Kiara blinked at the expanse of land before them. She couldn't even see the next wall that Kyori had told her about. She held onto her sister's hand as they started sprinting.

Despite the fact that they were small for their age, the two girls were fast and had a large amount of stamina. They kept off roads to avoid being seen, but it wasn't necessary. There wasn't anyone out this late.

"Kiara, do you remember anything?" Kyori asked after a few hours of silence.

Kiara blinked and frowned, looking down. "Not really... I know you're my twin. I know what titans are and that they eat us.. I know how to take them down... I know that I know how to read and write... how to play my lyre and gymnastics.. But there's no actual memories," she mumbled.

"There isn't much to remember," her sister replied quickly, sounding relieved, "In fact, I think it's best we not try to remember before we came here."

"You're talking as if you do remember," Kiara said, looking confused. When Kyori didn't answer, Kiara's mouth fell open slightly. "Kyori... Do you?"

Kyori squared her shoulders before looking her sister dead in the eyes. "No," she stated firmly.

Kiara eyed her sister suspiciously.

"Kiara, I swear that I'm going to keep you safe. That means becoming one of the people taking refuge here. That means not knowing what happened before. So, as far as we are concerned, we are two kids who have no memories. Do you understand?" Kyori asked sternly.

Kiara reluctantly nodded her head and squeezed Kyori's hand. "Fine. I trust you."

Kyori relaxed in relief and tugged her along. They made it to Wall Sina before sunrise and the guards here were just as lax as the ones from Wall Rose, probably even more so. The two girls slipped into the next city, seeing only one more gate to pass through at the other end of town.

Unfortunately, as the sun rose, there were less places to hide and people were becoming more alert. Just before they made it to the next wall, a man with a unicorn on his jacket grabbed their arms.

"You brats are filthy! Are you from the underground? Where's your citizenship identification?" The man demanded.

"Citizenship identification?" Kiara blinked, looking up at the man holding them.

"So you are from the underground." The man sneered, picking them up around the waists. The two girls immediately struggled, but the man was a lot stronger than they were.

Kiara and Kyori kicked against the man as he carried them out of the city, both girls desperately trying to get away from him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Kyori demanded, seeing a gaping hole in the ground. Her heart sank when she realized that the man was heading right to it.

"What kind of grown ass man goes around wearing fucking unicorns? Let us go!" Kiara screamed.

The man snorted and gave them what they wanted, dropping Kyori into the hole first, quickly followed by the Kiara.

Kiara couldn't help the scream that tore its way out of her throat as she fell. She tried to find something to grab on to or at least jump off of, but there was nothing. She instinctively bent her knees, bracing herself for impact, but the hard ground never came.

Instead, a body collided with hers. She felt arms encircling her and holding her to the person's chest. Kiara clutched at her rescuer, terrified because somehow they were still in the air. She felt the person twist in the air and then a strange pulling sensation before they landed on the ground. Her head wheeled around to find her sister as she struggled out of the person's arms.

Kiara saw Kyori lying on top of a young man in a ton of water... Sewage water. Kiara wrinkled her nose before rushing to the edge of the water. "Kyori? Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine... Kiara?" Kyori's head slowly raised, turning to look behind her. When she saw her sister was safe, she collapsed back on top of the person who had saved her.

"Farlan, why did you go land in sewage?" A disgusted voice inquired from behind Kiara.

She jumped slightly, turning to look up at the man who had caught her. He couldn't have been older than sixteen, with short black hair and cold gray eyes.

"It's not like I had much time to avoid it," the other man grumbled, sitting up with Kyori tucked safely in his arms. Both of them were soaked.

The teenager who had saved Kiara looked down at her, meeting her eyes for the first time. Kiara felt something strange as they looked at each other, like something was pulling on her soul and drawing her to the boy.

"Oi, brats, who are you? Where is your family?" The boy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm Kiara... That's my sister, Kyori," Kiara answered, her mouth dry.

"I gathered that..." He had never seen twins before, but he had heard of them. The two girls were completely identical.

"Oh.. Uh, we don't actually know where our family is. I don't remember anything before they brought us here."

The boy furrowed his eyebrows. "Here as in underground?"

"No.. To these wall things."

Kyori groaned and shook her head, sliding off Farlan's lap and stumbling over to Kiara and the boy through the disgusting water. "No, don't listen to her. She must still be sleeping," Kyori gasped, holding her head. She had banged it against her rescuer's shoulder when he caught her.

Kiara blinked, looking startled. "Oh.. Right.. Sorry. That was a dream..." she mumbled, not meeting the steel eyes looking at her.

"Kiara and I were... Separated from our family. They sold us. We escaped from the people they sold us too. Then, some asshole wearing unicorns threw us down here," Kyori explained as Kiara tried to look as if this story wasn't new to her. "Kiara hit her head pretty badly and lost her memory."

The boy turned his attention to Kyori, his eyes narrowed. Kiara was certain he didn't believe Kyori's story, but the boy just nodded.

"So you aren't from down here. You'll die soon," he said bluntly. "How old are you brats anyways? Six? Seven? Too young to be cussing or to fend off the shit down here."

"We can defend ourselves!" Kiara snapped. "We aren't that weak! And we're ten!"

"You might not be weak," he acknowledged, "but disease is common here and food and clean water are scarce. It's not just people who pose a threat. Even if you could make it up to the surface, they will only toss you down here again."

Kiara and Kyori tensed. They hadn't considered disease or where they would find food down here yet.

"Levi... Are you thinking about-" Farlan asked wearily, only to have the other boy cut him off with a nod.

"What are you thinking about?" Kyori looked between the two teenagers suspiciously.

"About helping you brats out. You'll either die or get caught up in human trafficking if you are alone. Farlan and I will at least keep you clean and safe." Levi glanced between the two girls, his arms folded.

Kiara watched him for a short moment before nodding, accepting his offer. Something was telling her she could trust him.

"Kiara!" Kyori hissed, clearly not happy.

"Kyori... I think we should trust him. I don't feel like trying to live down here on our own... Besides... I have a good feeling," Kiara remarked, shrugging.

She expected her sister to argue, but instead, Kyori stayed silent for a moment, regarding her sister. Finally, Kyori reluctantly nodded. "Fine."

"We headed home then?" Farlan asked. When Levi nodded, Farlan turned to Kyori. "Mind if I carry you?"

Kyori nodded tightly and climbed onto his back before he even stooped down.

"Wow, you're a little monkey, huh?" Farlan grinned as the small girl settled on his back.

Levi scooped Kiara up into his arms again. "Wrap your arms and legs around me," he instructed, making sure she wasn't going to get injured from his gear.

Kiara hastened to obey Levi, her legs wrapping around him just below his ribs. Her hands settled on his shoulders as his arms moved under her and around her back.

"Hold on tightly. Lets go."

Kiara blinked as they were suddenly jerked up into the air, her arms tightening around Levi. She heard Kyori make a noise of surprise from somewhere behind them. "What is this?" Kiara gasped, as they were pulled forward.

"3DMG, three dimensional maneuver gear, " Levi answered. "Don't worry, you're safe. This is the fastest way to get back to our home."

Kiara buried her face in his shoulder and closed her eyes. She definitely preferred running to being thrown through the air. As far as she could tell, two cords were shooting out a thing on Levi's waist. They must have had some form of a hook on them because they grabbed onto buildings and walls and propelled them forward before being drawn back into the equipment on Levi's waist.. Just to shoot out again.

"We're almost there," Levi murmured, sensing how scared the little girl was. She was so small, he doubted that she was ten. She didn't even clear four feet. That very thing made him want to comfort the scared girl, if only a bit.

"Alright," she mumbled, holding onto him tighter.

Soon, she felt them land on the ground again. Kiara slipped out of Levi's arms, looking up at the small house they had landed in front of. This was going to be her home now.

Farlan and Kyori landed beside them soon after.

"Wait here," Levi instructed to the three people. "Farlan, you smell terrible."

Kyori rushed up to Kiara and grabbed her hand again, still suspicious of what was going on, as Farlan sighed and started taking off his gear. He knew full well Levi wasn't going to let him into the house in clothes soaked with sewage water.

Levi returned a minute later with a wet towel and began wiping the grime off the two girls' hands and feet to keep the dirtiness down to a minimum. After, he led them inside and to a bathroom. There was soap next to a tub filled with water.

"Wash up. I'll get you some clean clothes to wear until yours are washed." Levi glanced at the children. Even his clothes would be huge on them, but it was all they had right now.

Levi quickly left, letting the twins have some privacy. Kiara and Kyori slowly stripped down and got into the lukewarm water of the bath. The water smelled like rotten eggs, but it cleaned the dirt off their bodies and out of their hair. When they were finished, they found two sets of clean clothes on the floor by the door.  
Kiara and Kyori looked at each other before putting on the clothes. They had to roll up the sleeves on the shirts several times and the pants wouldn't even stay up. Thankfully, the shirts fell to their ankles, so it didn't matter.

They left the bathroom then, finding Levi in the living room talking to Farlan who was standing in the front door.

"Your turn," Levi muttered, pointing to the bathroom. Farlan rolled his eyes.

"Told you my shirts would be better suited for them." Farlan walked past them, wearing only his underwear. The rest of his clothes where discarded outside, waiting to be washed or burned depending on how well he could clean them.

Levi glanced over the two kids. "The pants didn't fit."

"No. They wouldn't stay up." Kyori folded her arms haughtily.

"Thought so. That's why we settled on giving you Farlan's shirts to wear. Mine probably would have only come to your knees. I'll go out and get you clothes in your size later." Levi knelt beside the two girls. "Before that though.. How old are you, really?"

"Ten," Kiara said immediately.

Levi arched an eyebrow. "You two are very small for ten. You look more like you're around six."

"Our mom was very short," Kyori frowned, "but we really are ten."

Levi still looked skeptical, but shrugged. "I guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

"It's not like you can talk. How old are you, fourteen?" Kyori sneered, looking annoyed at the comment about her height.

"I'm sixteen, actually. Farlan is a year older." Levi narrowed his eyes.

Thankfully, Farlan came out of the bathroom fully dressed and clean then, carrying two towels and a comb. Kiara was certain that if he hadn't come out at that moment, Kyori would have started a fight.

"I noticed your hair was still wet. You'll catch a cold." Farlan dropped the towels on their heads.

Levi watched the girls dry their long hair in faint amusement. This was going to take them ages with how long and thick their hair was. Both twins had waist length hair.

"I'll help you." Levi tugged Kiara to the sofa. "Kneel on the floor."

Kiara blinked up at Levi before shrugging and doing as she was told. Levi grabbed the comb from Farlan and started drying and combing Kiara's hair systematically.

"Hey.. Ah, which one are you?" Farlan asked Kyori, rubbing his head sheepishly.

"That one is Kyori," Levi said, not looking up from his task. Kyori nodded, looking surprised.

"Do you mind if I dry your hair, Kyori?" Farlan asked, trying to look friendly. After a moment, she shook her head, kneeling in front of him.

"How could you tell?" Kiara asked after a moment, relaxing against Levi's leg.

"Kyori keeps looking at me and Farlan with suspicion. You, Kiara, don't. You seem to trust me," Levi responded.

"It's not just that I trust you... I have a feeling... A good feeling. Like you're going to be.. Someone very important to me." Kiara furrowed her eyebrows, folding her hands in her lap.

Before Levi could formulate a response, Kyori groaned. "I hate your 'feelings'," she grumbled.

Kiara blinked, tilting her head. "What do you mean?"

"Your fucking intuition," Kyori snapped. She had been planning on trying to convince Kiara to leave soon. She didn't trust the two men... But if Kiara had already grown to trust them so much, it was going to be a lot harder to convince her to leave. "I guess there's no choice now... But I don't trust you guys."

"I'm sure you will eventually," Farlan responded, smiling down at her. "We have no ill intentions."

"She's going to have to learn that over time." Levi glanced over at the sulking kid. "A sense of weariness is wise down here though."

Kyori turned her attention to Levi, her lips set in a frown. Kiara blinked between the two of them. "Um, Kyori.. Lets just get along for now. These people are being very kind. I think we should be grateful."

Kyori's eye twitched, but she looked down. "I'm sorry. You're right. Thank you for taking care of us."

Levi raised an eyebrow before going back to drying Kiara's hair. Once her hair was mostly dried, he put it into a French braid, hoping to keep it out of dirt. It was the only thing he could think of to keep it mostly clean, short of cutting it. Somehow, he doubted Kiara or Kyori would appreciate getting a haircut.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Farlan watched Levi in surprise still working on drying Kyori's hair. Levi handed him the comb.

"My mother before she was sick. She liked me to braid her hair." Levi lifted Kiara up and looked her over to make sure she was clean. The only things left dirty were her nails. He pulled a small knife out of his pocket and placed the girl in his lap. "Don't move a muscle," he warned her.

Kiara obediently sat still and let Levi dig dirt out from under her nails with the knife, her head falling on his shoulder. He cleaned out her finger nails first and then worked on her toes. By the time he was done, Farlan had finished drying Kyori's hair.

Levi looked over Kyori's nails before sighing. "Farlan. Get some water and bread while I clean Kyori's nails."

Kyori narrowed her eyes, but allowed Levi to draw her into his lap too, if just to be closer to her sister. She sat stock still as Levi cleaned under her nails.

"After you eat, I think you should rest. You both look exhausted," he observed.

"Where would we sleep?" Kyori asked, frowning.

"You can sleep in my bed. I won't be needing it. Tomorrow, we'll find you both clothes your own size and try to find you a mattress or something similar." Levi looked up as Farlan came back with bread and water.

The girls split the bread and ate it hungrily. They didn't even mind the horrible taste of the water. Levi sighed at the crumbs, but couldn't fault the girls. He doubted they even knew when the last time they had eaten was.

When they had finished, the teenager stood up, carrying both girls to his room. Kiara held onto him, but Kyori didn't.

He sat the twins down on his bed after making sure there were no crumbs on them. "Sleep or at the very least, rest. You'll be safe."

Kiara looked up at him, smiling slightly. "Thank you..." She murmured. Kyori nodded in reluctant agreement.

"Don't worry about it." Levi patted their heads, never changing his expression. "Sleep well, brats."

Kyori and Kiara crawled under the blanket as Levi left the room, sharing the pillow and facing each other.

"Kiara... Are you certain about trusting these people?" Kyori murmured softly.

"Yeah... I really think that this is important.. And I trust them. They aren't bad people... But I don't necessarily think they do good things." Kiara frowned slightly. "I definitely think that Levi meant it when he said he would give us a clean safe place to stay."

Kyori sighed and shook her head. "At least no one has tried to steal our bags. I don't fancy losing our instruments and weapons."

Kiara nodded. They couldn't replace the lyre, ocarina, or their numerous weapons even if they had been stolen. "I think we'll be safe here. Maybe we can even earn money with our music?" She suggested, humming softly.

"I doubt anyone has money to spare here," Kyori pointed out, cuddling into her sister. Kiara sighed.

"At the very least, we can keep each other entertained." She shrugged, wrapping her arms around Kyori.

Kyori hummed back, dozing off despite herself. She hadn't slept in days. Not since... Well, before they were abandoned to titan territory. She was exhausted and the safety of finally being in a home like this had that exhaustion creeping into the child's bones. Kiara wasn't much better. Even if she had finally napped after Erwin had picked them up, Kyori had seen how restless that sleep was.

"We'll talk about it more tomorrow," Kyori finally said, nuzzling into Kiara's chest with a small sigh of contentment.

Kiara nodded, holding her sister tighter. Once Kyori's breathing had evened out, she let herself relax more. She felt just as protective of Kyori as her twin felt for her, so she was glad that her sister was getting some much needed sleep.

Kiara smiled as she buried her face into the pillow. It smelled like Levi, a scent she was associating with safety and home already.

* * *

Kiara woke up the next day feeling refreshed and content. Kyori was still sleeping, so Kiara carefully got up. She left the room, wondering what time it was, and ran immediately into Farlan.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kiara mumbled, hastily, backing up a bit.

"It's fine. Kiara, right? You have the braid." Farlan grinned. "Did you sleep well?"

Kiara nodded, tilting her head. "Better than I have in a long time, I think."

Farlan blinked before frowning. "You really can't remember anything?"

"No. I know things, but I have no memories beyond..." She trailed off, rubbing her temples; trying to remember made her head hurt.

Farlan nodded after a moment and sighed. "Levi is out. He's getting things that he thinks you'll need. He'll be back soon. Are you hungry?"

Kiara hesitated before nodding. "I have to use the toilet first though."

Farlan nodded and guided her to the bathroom. When she was finished, she came out and wandered into the living room. She sat beside Farlan on the sofa, stretching like a cat.

"Here's some bread," Farlan said, handing her the food.

Kiara accepted it gratefully and ate it slowly this time.

When she was finished, she smiled up at Farlan. "Thank you.."

"Don't worry about it. You're one of us now.. By the way, what's in those bags of yours? They're really heavy."

Kiara tensed slightly before sighing. "My bag is holding my lyre and weapons."

"Weapons?"

"My chakrams, a whip, throwing knives, and my sword." Kiara shifted uncomfortably.

"Why would you need so many weapons?" Farlan asked, mouth falling open. "I've never even heard of chakrams."

"Self-defense," Kiara mumbled.

Farlan paused, before rubbing her head affectionately. "Don't worry, kid. That's your stuff. We aren't going to take it. I would rather you be armed down here anyways. Are you a good fighter?"

Kiara visibly relaxed before nodding her head. "Yes. Kyori and I have been taught how to fight since we could walk." Another thing she knew was true, despite having no actual memories.

Farlan stared at her for a moment before running his hand through his hair. "I see... Maybe you and your sister could show us your fighting skills."

"I would be okay with that. I can't say the same for Kyori, but I'll ask her." Kiara smiled weakly.

"Alright. So what is a lyre?" he asked, reclining on the sofa.

"Um. It's easier to just show you." Kiara stood up and went to her bag that was propped against the wall. She opened it and pulled out a small case.

She gently took the instrument out and turned to Farlan. "I can use it to play music." Kiara smiled and ran her fingers nimbly over the strings, producing a soft melody.

Farlan blinked at the sound, immediately straightening. He didn't speak as Kiara continued to play, both of them not noticing when the door opened. Kiara began to hum as she played, feeling comfortable and relaxed with instrument's music. She had missed playing her lyre. When the song was over, she lowered the instrument with a smile.

"Where did you learn that?" Farlan asked, waving to Levi in greeting who had come up behind Kiara.

"My parents. They taught Kyori how to play the ocarina and I learned the lyre," Kiara said, turning to look at who Farlan was waving at. Her face immediately brightened when she saw Levi.

"You're talented," Levi remarked, the barest hint of surprise on his face.

"Thank you." Kiara grinned, setting the wooden instrument down on a table.

Levi set down a bag he was holding and took the comb off the sofa where it had been left last night. "Your braid needs to be fixed."

Kiara touched her hair before sitting down in front of the couch like she had last night. Levi sat behind her and carefully took out her braid before combing it. After all the knots were out, he set it back into a braid.

Kiara hummed softly, enjoying the feeling of fingers in her hair. Her scalp was very sensitive, but Levi's fingers were gentle. Kyori came out of the room just as he was finishing, looking sleepy still.

"Do you want me to fix your hair too?" Levi asked, eyeing the mess of her hair in distaste.

Kyori hesitated, before nodding. She took Kiara's place in front of Levi as her twin climbed onto the couch. Levi paused for a moment, frowning at all of the snarls in her hair. He took his time brushing it, gently working the knots out. He put her hair into two French braids, so Farlan could identify them easier.

Kyori sat still when she was offered food by Farlan, not even nodding her head. She was so tired, she leaned against Levi's knee, despite still not trusting him.

Levi finished with her braids and stood up. "In that bag is clothes, toothbrushes, a blanket, and other shit you might need. If you think of anything else you need, let me or Farlan know. I'm still searching for a mattress for you. It might be a few more days. "

"That's okay. We can sleep on the sofa until then," Kyori said shrugging. Kiara nodded in agreement.

"I don't know how to repay your generosity," Kiara mumbled, pulling her sister up on the couch beside her.

"Stay alive." Levi walked off, looking as stoic as ever.

Kiara and Kyori looked at each other in surprise.

"Levi seems to have a soft spot for you. When he saw you two falling and heard you scream, he was off like a shot. To be honest, I couldn't believe they would just throw kids down that hole," Farlan explained, shrugging. "It's supposed to be a vent, not a place to dump people."

Kyori blinked. "Why would he have a soft spot for us?"

"He seems to have a soft spot for strays," Farlan laughed, patting their heads, "I'm a stray too."


	2. Ningyo Hime

AN: This chapter has very mild underage stuff. It's mostly just a ton of humor and fluff. Also, I'm mostly following the manga with my own adaptions, so most of this right now is taking place before The Birth of Levi.

* * *

 _"Hey, are you the one I'm searching for? Something is telling me to stay by you." -Amalee_

The next few days found Kiara and Kyori settling into their new home. The twins took to sleeping on the sofa until Levi found a mattress for them. When he did, they spent the day cleaning it and airing it out. It was decided that they would sleep in Levi's room because it was bigger than Farlan's and there was really no other place to put a third mattress.

During the day, the twins would clean while Levi and Farlan went out. They had learned right away that Levi had an obsession with cleanliness and had decided together to do what they could to help out.

After they cleaned the house from top to bottom, Levi and Farlan would usually be home soon after. The first time they had cleaned, Levi had spent the whole night teaching the girls how to clean up to his standards. Kiara and Kyori had gone to bed exhausted that night. They had made sure to never give Levi the opportunity to repeat the lecture.

After dinner, the girls would play music for Levi and Farlan. Kyori would play her ocarina and Kiara would sing or play her lyre. Then, Kiara and Kyori would take a bath.

Every night, without fail, Levi and Farlan would dry the their hair. Eventually, to save time at night, Levi taught Farlan how to French braid as well. Kyori had had to sit on the floor all day as Farlan attempted to braid her hair. Kiara had sat and watched them with amusement lurking in her eyes, but Kyori hadn't minded. Her head wasn't as sensitive as Kiara's and she liked Farlan. His personality was much more relaxed than Levi's, which helped Kyori relax too. Her braid was often done in the most basic way.

At Kiara's request for a different hairstyle, Levi started to Dutch braid her hair after experimenting with it. Kiara had loved the new style and liked having the slight difference with her twin.

Once the braids were finished, Farlan would tell the kids a story. They would curl up on the sofa with Levi as Farlan spun tales to entertain the girls.

Kyori eventually grew to trust Levi and Farlan after half a year of living with them, but never really warmed to Levi. The way he never smiled unnerved her.

Kiara never seemed to mind it though. She would use Levi's shoulder as a pillow during Farlan's stories and rest her feet in her sister's lap. Levi didn't complain about it and would just sip his tea.

One night after the twins turned thirteen, their family, because that is what they were, grew bigger.

"They're really late," Kiara noted, looking outside. She could see a nearby vent. Levi and Farlan where usually back by sunset.. But it was well into the night now.

"They have been out late before." Kyori shrugged, poking her head out of the kitchen where she was cooking stew and making bread.

"I know. It just worries me." Kiara sighed, flopping on the couch. She had already bathed and was wearing one of Levi's shirts as a night dress. She had found out before her bath that Kyori's and her pajamas were dirty and had done laundry, but her clothes were still wet. It wasn't the first time she had stolen one of his shirts to sleep in.

Kiara sighed heavily, running her hands through her damp hair. She was bored. There was no cleaning left to do until after dinner.

Just as she was about to whine for Kyori to entertain her somehow, the door burst open.

"Fina-" Kiara stopped herself as Levi came in, carrying a teenage girl on his back. "What's going on? Is she okay?" Kiara shot up from the couch, rushing over to them as Farlan followed him in.

"She's starving to death," Farlan answered, taking the unconscious girl off Levi's back and laying her on the sofa.

"She's probably dehydrated too," Levi added as Farlan went into the kitchen.

"Where did you find her?" Kiara asked, kneeling beside the sofa.

"On the streets. She's not too far gone yet. She'll recover."

"Do we know her name?" Kiara stroked the girl's dark auburn hair gently.

"Isabel Magnolia." Levi frowned.

"Magnolia? She has two names?" Kiara blinked.

"No, Magnolia is her surname. It's a name that family members share," Levi explained, well aware of the fact that Kiara's amnesia meant she sometimes didn't understand basic things.

"What's yours and Farlan's surnames?" Kiara asked curiously.

"My surname is Church," Farlan answered, coming back to the living room with a bowl of stew and a cup of water.

"I don't have one," Levi responded, seeing Kiara looking up at him expectantly.

"We don't have one either," Kyori added, following Farlan with a tray of bowls filled with stew and some bread.

Kiara blinked before frowning in disappointment. It would have been nice to have a surname. She watched Farlan shake Isabel awake.

"Where.. Where am I?" Isabel mumbled, sitting up.

"You're home," Kyori said, kneeling beside Kiara.

"Home?" The word looked like it sounded foreign on her tongue.

"We'll discuss that more later. For now, drink some water and eat a little stew." Farlan frowned, holding the water up to her lips. "Just don't drink or eat too fast. It will make you sick."

Kiara grabbed her sister's and Levi's hands, watching Farlan help Isabel drink and eat. She was worried about the girl who barely seemed to be able to keep her eyes open.

Isabel managed to drink most of the water and eat a third of the stew before falling asleep again.

"Are you sure she's going to be okay?" Kiara asked nervously. What if they couldn't save her? What if Isabel died? Kiara's anxiety started increasing as worried thoughts plagued her. Her heart seemed to be trying to beat its way out of her chest. The girl didn't even notice when Levi's fingers shifted in her hand to rest against her inner wrist.

"It looks bad now, but she will pull through." Levi tugged Kiara to her feet. "Your hair is getting my shirt wet."

Kiara frowned, not wanting to leave Isabel and Farlan, but let herself be led to the bathroom. Levi started to dry her hair, knowing the girl liked the routine. He wanted to distract her from her worry over the newest member of their family. He had felt her pulse racing in the living room and she looked ready to start hyperventilating soon. If he could avoid a full blown panic attack, he would.

"Is Isabel going to sleep in our room?" Kiara asked, slightly breathless as she watched Levi in the mirror. The comforting feeling of the routine was already starting to calm her down.

"No, she's going to room with Farlan once we find her a mattress."

"That's going to be a tight fit. Farlan's room barely has space to walk as it is."

"We'll make it work. Stop worrying so much, brat." Levi tugged on a damp lock of hair gently.

Kiara made a soft noise of protest and pouted. "It's really hard to not worry about her."

"Try. Your anxiety is putting me on edge too." Levi frowned at the kid.

"Stop scowling so much," Kiara muttered, turning around poking the spot between his eyebrows.

Levi's scowl deepened as he rolled his eyes, changing the subject. "Is the laundry dry yet?" he asked, knowing that she was wearing his shirt because her clothes had just been washed.

"No. I just set it out on the line a little while ago." Kiara pouted again, her gaze finding his. She had only grown a handful of inches in the past three years, so she often had to tilt her head back or look through her lashes to see him when they were this close. This time, her midnight eyes looked up at him through dark red lashes.

Levi's hands stilled for a moment as he looked down at the girl before he quickly turned her around. "Once your hair is dry, I'll get you another shirt." His voice was a little gruffer than usual, but Kiara brushed it off.

"Alright." Kiara relaxed slightly, leaning back against Levi.

"Oi, it's harder to dry your hair like this." Levi frowned, pulling back.

Kiara grinned at his reflection and leaned forward again obediently, humming softly. It didn't take Levi long to dry her hair and soon, his fingers were deftly twisting her hair into its usual braid.

Once he was done, Kiara turned around and lifted her arms. Levi arched an eyebrow as the girl rested her arms on his shoulders, figuring out what she wanted immediately. He picked her up, her arms and legs slipping around him automatically. She enjoyed being carried by him or Farlan when she was feeling tired or bad. It was comforting to her. Right now, she was feeling both.

Levi carried Kiara to their bedroom and sat her on his bed, earning him a pout. "Relax, I'm just getting you a fresh shirt. I'm sure that one doesn't feel comfortable sticking to your back like that."

"Not particularly, but I didn't notice until you pointed it out," Kiara huffed, rolling her eyes.

Levi arched an eyebrow at her as he pulled a clean shirt out of the dresser. "Get changed, brat," he muttered, tossing the shirt on her lap and turning around to give her privacy.

Kiara stood up and quickly did as she was told. She placed the damp shirt in the hamper once she was changed. "I'm done," she announced, tapping his shoulder.

Levi picked her up again, her head falling on his shoulder. "Are you feeling better yet?" he grumbled.

"Yeah... I'm not feeling as anxious. I'm still worried about Isabel, but I trust you. If you say all she needs is time to get better, then I'll believe that."

Levi rocked the kid absently. "Good. Everything is going to be fine."

Kiara yawned, her body slumped in Levi's arms. "If you keep doing that, I'm going to fall asleep," she mumbled.

"That's not an incentive to stop. It's almost midnight. You should be sleeping." Levi rested his head on hers.

"I haven't eaten dinner yet," Kiara protested, sulking.

Levi sighed and nodded. "After dinner you should go to bed though."

"Alright," Kiara mumbled, yawning again.

Levi carried the child into the living room. He sat down on the floor with Kiara in his lap. Farlan and Kyori were almost done eating and looked up at the pair.

"Where were you?" Kyori asked, frowning. She put the other two bowls in front of them.

"Kiara was getting my shirt wet with her hair," Levi said in answer as Kiara started eating the now cold stew. Kiara sent him a grateful look. She didn't want her sister to worry about her just because she had been anxious for no reason.

Farlan raised his eyebrow, but didn't comment. "Do you kids still want your story tonight?"

"Yes," Kyori said immediately.

Kiara looked hesitantly at Levi. She had told him she would try sleeping after dinner. Levi met her gaze, frowning slightly.

"Go ahead." He knew Kiara would fall asleep during the story anyways.

Kiara smiled faintly and nodded, turning back to her stew.

"Kyori, have you bathed yet?" Levi asked, taking a bite of his own food.

"No, I was waiting until after dinner." Kyori frowned.

Levi sighed; this was going to be a long night.

"I'll take care of Kyori after the story," Farlan offered, seeing how tired both Kiara and Levi were.

Levi nodded, his arm slipping around Kiara's waist as he felt her sliding off his lap. Kiara jerked awake again and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." She rubbed her eye tiredly and ate more of her stew.

"Maybe you should start your story," Levi suggested after a moment. Kiara had finished most of her stew and seemed to be struggling to stay awake.

Farlan grinned and launched into a story, using the four of them as characters. Kiara had barely finished her stew before she sagged forward again, Farlan's voice lulling her to sleep. Levi turned the girl in his arms and let her head rest against his shoulder. He waited for Farlan to finish his tale to stand up.

"I'm going to put Kiara to bed. Kyori, try to hurry in the bath. It's late." Levi glanced at Isabel who was still sleeping soundly.

"I'll take care of them. You should get some sleep too, Levi. You were up all night last night." Farlan raised an eyebrow.

"I need to bathe before I go to bed."

"Take one before me. You only take five minutes." Kyori leaned against Farlan, not feeling tired at all. "I want to stay awake and watch over Isabel a little longer."

Levi raised an eyebrow before shrugging. He carried Kiara back to their room and laid her on the mattress the twins shared before covering the small teenager with her blanket.

Kiara shifted in her sleep and opened an eye tiredly. "Levi?" she mumbled.

"I'm here."

Kiara yawned, rubbing her eyes. "Mm... Goodnight." Her words were barely audible, but Levi caught them anyways.

He sat beside her for a moment, his fingers brushing over stray baby hairs that framed her face. "Goodnight, brat."

* * *

Over the next couple of weeks, the Farlan, Kiara, Kyori, and Levi tended to Isabel, helping her eat and bathe until the teenager had gained her strength. Kiara and Kyori particularly enjoyed taking care of her because of her easily excitable personality. Isabel was already like a sister to the two girls.

"Hey, Isabel, how old are you?" Kiara asked, carrying out lunch for the older girl.

Isabel was sitting up, still looking sleepily. While she could maintain consciousness now, she tired easily.

"I think I'm sixteen." Isabel smiled at Kiara as the teenager set down the food in front of her. "How about you and Kyori?"

"We're thirteen." Kiara grinned. Isabel was the first person they had met so close to their own age.

"Huh.. How about Farlan and Levi?" Isabel asked curiously, eating the soup.

"Levi is nineteen and Farlan is twenty. At least, that's what they told us." Kiara smiled warmly as Kyori came out of the kitchen.

"Levi looks a lot younger," Kyori shook her head. "He doesn't have any right to keep calling us brats. He looks like he's only sixteen himself."

"I have a feeling that Levi doesn't actually age," Kiara laughed, curling up on the couch next to Isabel.

"Maybe big brother is a vampire like in that story Farlan told us yesterday," Isabel giggled.

Kiara and Kyori looked at each other in surprise. "Levi is your brother?"

"Not really, but he saved me. He's seems like an older brother with the way he takes care of us." Isabel shrugged, yawning.

"That's a.. fair... point," Kyori acknowledged, wrinkling her nose slightly. "I don't think he gives off a brotherly vibe though with his permanent scowl."

"I don't think you can talk. You rarely show expressions yourself," Kiara teased her sister.

Kiara burst out laughing as Levi walked in. His eyes narrowed as the other two girls starting giggling as well.

"Glad to see you are feeling better." Levi rolled his eyes as Farlan walked in holding groceries.

"But you're definitely right about that," Kiara agreed with her twin still laughing, tears pooling in her eyes as she stood up. She walked over to Levi, still giggling, and poked him between the eyebrows which had become a habit of hers.

"What?" Levi frowned and furrowed his eyebrows more.

"You scowl too much," she giggled.

"This, children, is why you shouldn't make disagreeable faces. Levi did and his face froze that way," Farlan teased.

Levi's scowl darkened. "I would advise you to shut the fuck up. I don't want the kids to see me murder you."

Farlan held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, still smiling at his best friend. Levi stormed off, shaking his head in annoyance.

Kiara stifled another laugh. "I'm going to see if I can calm him down."

"I think I'm in love," Isabel suddenly said.

"With who?" Kyori blinked, looking up at Isabel.

"Farlan," Isabel replied immediately, no trace of embarrassment on her face as Farlan looked over at her. "I like bravery and a sense of humor... And that comment was funny and a death wish."

Farlan's mouth fell open, making Isabel laugh again.

"Wait..." Kiara paused, hesitating in the hallway. "What's 'in love' mean?"

"Ah.." Farlan rubbed the back of his head embarrassed. "Well, love is when you are... Uh.. Very fond of someone. You like them a lot."

"I know what love is. I love you, Kyori, Isabel, and Levi," Kiara interjected, "But what is 'in' love? I thought love was love?"

"There are lots of different types of love," Farlan knelt down in front of Kiara, "There's love you hold for a friend, the love between family... And there is also a love you give to a special person."

"A special person?" Kiara frowned, looking between her family members. "Who?"

"That's different for each person," Isabel explained, a bit stunned by how naive the child was. "Like I'm in love with Farlan. He's my special person."

Farlan jerked his head around to look at Isabel. "I thought you were joking!" he sputtered.

Isabel gave him a confused look and rolled her eyes. "Idiot." She shook her head. "Kiara, the point is, your special someone is someone you need to find on your own."

"How will I know when I find them?" Kiara tilted her head.

Farlan frowned faintly. "Ah.. You're only thirteen. You don't have to worry about it just yet.. But the person you fall in love with.. Its really hard to describe it."

"It's someone who will make doing this enjoyable," Isabel chimed in, standing up and walking over to them. She knelt next to Farlan who looked over at her questioningly. Isabel grinned at him lopsidedly and pressed her lips to his.

Kiara raised her eyebrows in stunned silence as she watched the two kiss. Farlan didn't even have time to return the heated kiss before Isabel broke it and smiled at the young girl.

"Only do that if you're in love with the person." She grinned, tousling Farlan's blond hair.

"That's enough, perverts," Levi growled, coming out of his room and picking Kiara up. "Kiara is still a child. She doesn't need to be witnessing your sex lives."

Kiara blinked as she was situated on Levi's hip, looking at him curiously.

"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud," Isabel retorted, rolling her eyes.

Levi scowled and shook his head. "I'm bringing Kiara on a walk to get away from you disgusting perverts. Farlan, explain Kiara's amnesia to Isabel."

Farlan blinked, nodding as Levi quickly left, still carrying Kiara.

"So about that kiss?" Farlan looked at Isabel as Kyori, who had been unusually silent, groaned. "Only kiss someone you're in love with?"

Isabel laughed and kissed him again. Kyori pouted and shook her head. She hadn't thought Kiara wouldn't know about falling in love.. But then, even their parents hadn't been in love.. There was nowhere to have learned it before Kyori had sealed her sister's memories. The underground city wasn't exactly awash with couples in love either. The books Kyori had once read to Kiara had had some fairy tale romances, but Kiara clearly didn't remember them...and now that she thought about it, Farlan's stories were all action and adventure. Sighing, the girl stood up and went to prepare dinner.

"So, did you notice Levi's behavior?" Isabel murmured to Farlan once Kyori was out of ear shot.

"Ah... You mean how protective he is?" Farlan furrowed his brows.

"That.. And the look in his eyes." Isabel grinned.

Farlan blinked, his hand playing absentmindedly with Isabel's hair. "You don't think..."

"And he called us perverted," Isabel snorted.

* * *

Levi carried Kiara in silence for a long while, the teenager resting her head on his shoulder. Wanting some fresher air, he started making his way to a large vent.

"Levi..." Kiara mumbled, breaking the silence.

"Mm?"

"What is falling in love? I still don't understand it." Kiara nuzzled closer into his neck.

Levi tightened his grip on her slightly, trying to figure out a response to her question. "Falling in love is something... It's a feeling someone gets when they want to spend the rest of their lives with one person. It isn't just love for a family member or friend. It goes beyond that."

"So, does that mean I'm in love with you?" Kiara tilted her head, looking up at Levi.

"Me?!" Levi stared at the girl he was holding, his eyebrows shooting up.

"Well... You said its not a family thing, so I'm not in love with Kyori... and Farlan and Isabel are in love, so it can't be them either." Kiara shrugged, watching him innocently.

Levi pointedly looked away. "That doesn't mean you're in love with me, brat. There's a lot that goes into being in love. Its not just something that happens through the process of elimination. Besides, people who are in love do physical.. Things.." He winced.

"Like what?" Kiara blinked.

Levi held back a groan of frustration. "Like what Isabel did to Farlan... Most of the time, people in love will do that kind of thing. They touch a lot and do shit like cuddling and stuff."

Kiara frowned for a moment before a smile lit up her face. She leaned up and pressed her lips sloppily to his cheek. "Now, I'm in love with you," she cheered, "we already cuddle and stuff, right?"

Levi froze mid-step, his mind going completely blank. It took him a moment to recover and when he did, he carefully avoided looking at the girl.

"Kiara, you need to wait until after you're in love to kiss someone. You just can't kiss them and then be in love," he explained in a strained voice, "Also, you're too young to be in love."

"Aw..." Kiara pouted, falling silent. She went back to nuzzling in Levi's neck as he resumed walking. She didn't understand why she couldn't be in love with Levi, but she supposed it was an adult thing.

Once they reached the vent, Levi sat on a nearby rock, holding Kiara tightly in his arms. It was probably dirty, but, for once, he didn't care. He was too concerned with the conversation he had just had with Kiara.

Kiara looked up at the sky, smiling at the colors. The sun must have been setting because the sky was painted with reds, oranges, and pinks.

"Hey.. Levi?"

"What is it?" Levi rested his head on Kiara's, breathing in the somewhat fresher air.

"Well.. What is sex? You told Isabel and Farlan that I shouldn't be seeing their sex lives? I've never heard that word before."

Levi nearly choked on his spit. He had really dug himself into a hole... But Kiara was thirteen. He supposed she would have to learn about it sooner or later.

"Fuck... Sex is something people who love each other do. It's how babies are made," he muttered, trying to stay calm because this was the most embarrassing thing that he had ever had to do. Seeing her blank face, Levi groaned. Of course she wouldn't know about babies. She hardly left the house and she had amnesia.

"Shit... Okay, basics first. You know how you and your sister bleed every month?" He asked, desperately wishing to be anywhere else.

"Yeah?" Kiara remembered the day that had started very clearly. She had been doing laundry outside when Kyori had freaked out, telling her there was blood coming from between her legs. Kiara had freaked out too, worried she was going to die. Levi and Farlan had ran outside, saw both girls screaming, and the blood. Farlan had been the one to take both girls into the bathroom and find old cloths for Kiara to use to absorb the blood. He had also tried to explain what was happening to her, but had done a very poor job.

"Right, so, from what I understand, that's your body's way of preparing to have a child or some shit. If a man and a woman have sex, then the woman can get pregnant. Pregnant means she's carrying a baby, which is a tiny human, in here," he pointed to her stomach, "after around nine months, the baby comes out of the woman-"

"Wait, the baby comes out of her?! How?!" Kiara demanded, looking confused and scared.

"Its called giving birth, Kiara. The baby comes out of the same place you bleed from, your vagina." Levi ran his fingers through his hair. "You were born like that. We all were. The woman who gives birth is called a mother and the father is the one she had sex with."

"Okay... That doesn't sound too bad.. But what is sex anyways? Why does it result in a baby?" She tilted her head.

Levi groaned in frustration and bopped her on the head. "Sex is where a man puts his... Ugh... Men don't have vaginas. We have something else and we.. Fuck." Levi pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Is sex that bad?" Kiara tilted her head.

"No. Sex isn't bad," Levi grumbled, "Its actually good, but only if you love the person and its not forced. If it's forced, it's rape and that is fucking terrible thing. If anyone forces you to have sex, tell me so I can fucking kill them."

"Okay... But I still don't know what it is." Kiara poked Levi's cheek.

"Damn it. Fuck. Okay, sex is where a man puts his dick inside a woman's vagina, alright? After a while something called semen comes out of the man's dick and it goes inside the woman. Depending on the circumstance, that semen can help create a baby inside the woman's womb," Levi burst out, glaring up at the sky.

"Oh... That sounds weird and gross." Kiara wrinkled her nose. "Why do people do it?"

"Because it can feel good and it's a way to express love," Levi groaned, "and some people want to have brats running around the place. You are not allowed to have sex until you're forty."

Kiara blinked several times and tilted her head, indigo eyes watching Levi. "So," she said carefully, "when I'm forty, I can have sex with you to show you that I love you?"

The innocent question made Levi want to scream for not realizing it was coming. "Kiara, that's something people who are in love do," he groaned.

"Why can't I be in love with you when I'm forty? I already love you the most," Kiara protested, pouting.

"Fucking hell," Levi shook his head, giving up, "You know what, fine. If you are in love with me when you're forty, fine. We'll see where it goes from there. For now, no more questions like this. I don't think I can handle anymore."

Kiara laughed softly, her lapis lazuli eyes twinkling. "Um.. I have one more question though."

Levi looked at the girl with a glare that would have sent grown men running for their lives, but Kiara only smiled sweetly. "This is the last one I'm answering," he warned.

"Are Farlan and Isabel going to have sex and a baby?"

Levi cursed and glared down at Kiara, seeing her eyes glittering in mirth. "You just wanted to fucking torture me that time, didn't you?" he demanded.

"A bit," Kiara admitted, her smile widening, "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." Levi rolled his eyes, pinching her cheek.

Kiara only giggled, turning her head up to see the sky again. It was well into twilight by now.

After a moment of silence, Kiara shifted slightly. "I can't ask questions, right?" she asked in a teasing voice, "but can I make a request?"

Levi rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to point out that that had been two questions. "What is it?"

"I want to try what Isabel did to Farlan. Just a little, please?" She tilted her head up at him as Levi gave her a dirty look.

"Are you fucking joking?" he asked darkly, feeling his patience wearing thin.

"Not this time. I'm really curious. I don't want to ask Farlan, Isabel, or Kyori to show me either. I would rather you did." Kiara bit her lower lip. In their home, they placed a high standard on hygiene and cleanliness, but mouths seemed dirty. So, why had Isabel and Farlan pressed their mouths together? It seemed so unhygienic to Kiara.

Levi paused, staring at Kiara for a moment. He wasn't going to tell Kiara that kissing her sister like Farlan and Isabel had was a no go, at least not at the moment. He had had enough of explaining sex to deal with the subject of incest right now, though he did make a note to explain it to her before they got back home.

"Kiara..." he started, ready to reject her request, but the look in her eyes stopped him. He hated seeing her look so disappointed... And he knew she really would ask Farlan or Isabel to show her. Cursing again, Levi sighed wearily. All he had to do was make the kiss as innocent as possible.

"Fine, but you can't go doing this again until you're a lot older.. And don't just do it with anyone. Deal?" The smile that lit up her face made this almost worth it.

"Levi... I don't want to do it with anyone else." Kiara smiled brilliantly. "So deal!"

Levi hesitated, looking at the redhead for a moment before leaning closer to her. His hand cupped her cheek lightly. This was Kiara's first kiss. He could at least try to make it seem romantic or something... So he held eye contact with her, his thumb running gently over her cheekbone.

Kiara sat still, watching him with wide eyes. She leaned into his touch and Levi could almost imagine she was in love with him... That this wouldn't be their only kiss.. He cut his thoughts off abruptly and closed the small space separating them.

Their lips brushed once, sending a gentle spark tingling through them. Levi had meant to break the barely there kiss then, but Kiara moved forward as he moved back. Evidently, she was still curious about the kiss.

A warm feeling buzzed through Kiara as their lips made contact firmly this time. It was pleasant and sweet. It only lasted a handful of seconds before Levi pulled away from her again, his hand still resting on the side of her face.

"Are you happy now?" he asked in a tight voice.

"Yeah.. I kind of understand now," Kiara replied thoughtfully. "I didn't understand why that was a thing people do.. I thought it would be gross or unhygienic.. But..."

Levi raised an eyebrow, privately agreeing with her. He had always thought of kissing as unhygienic too... Until now. "But...?" he prompted, now curious himself.

"That felt.." She tilted her head. "It made me feel warm and good."

Levi watched her, carefully masking his face into his usual scowl. There was no way in hell he was going to admit that kissing Kiara had made him feel the same way. Not when she was so young. What was he, a fucking pedophile?

"Time to go home." He stood up and placed Kiara on his hip again. "No more questions."

Kiara let her head rest against his shoulder, smiling broadly. The silence that fell between them was comfortable, despite the horribly embarrassing talk and the strange feeling lingering on both of their lips.

* * *

"I'm going to kill both of you," Levi growled at Isabel and Farlan once the twins were asleep.

"Why?" Farlan blinked, looking over at the pissed off man.

"Thanks to your antics earlier, I had to give Kiara the sex talk and I had to deal with her insisting that she wanted to fall in love with me," he snarled.

"Wait.. You couldn't even deal with the menstruation talk and you gave Kiara a lecture on sex?" Farlan visibly had to force himself to not laugh. "I would have paid to see that."

"Shut up," he hissed, "that was the worst thing I've ever had to deal with."

"It can't have been that bad." Isabel stuffed her fist into her mouth to stop giggling.

"It was. Then she all but begged me to kiss her," Levi rapped his knuckles on both of their skulls, "do you know fucking awkward that was?!"

Farlan and Isabel rubbed their heads before looking at each other knowingly. "I don't think you actually minded all that much," Isabel laughed quietly.

"What the hell do you mean?" Levi demanded, glaring at the couple.

"Figure it out," Isabel smirked, "I'm going to bed, big brother."

Isabel kissed Farlan and winked at him before heading off to his room, completely abandoning her boyfriend to Levi's wrath.

"So... Did you do it?" Farlan asked, trying to keep the smile off his lips.

"Do what?" Levi snapped.

"Kiss her."

Levi tensed, glaring again.

"You did," Farlan blinked, his lips parting in surprise, "you really kissed her."

"It only lasted a second. She kept insisting on it." Levi folded his arms and changed the subject. "You're giving Kyori the sex talk. I can't deal with that shit again."

"Funny. You can kill people and steal, but can't talk about sex to a child," Farlan noted dryly, letting the subject of kissing go.

"Killing and stealing is easy," Levi rolled his eyes, "telling a thirteen year old how babies are made is fucking humiliating. Which is why you are explaining that to Kyori tomorrow night."

* * *

"I hear Levi gave you an interesting talk last night," Isabel laughed, washing Kiara's hair.

Kiara tilted her head and rested against Isabel. "I guess. He told me about love and stuff."

"Stuff?" Kyori looked at her sister with a raised eyebrow.

"Something called sex," Kiara responded, shrugging her pale shoulders.

"What the fuck is that?"

Isabel burst out laughing as Kiara frowned. "Farlan is planning on telling you later," Isabel laughed again.

Kiara shrugged, rinsing her hair in the cool water. "I'm not too sure myself... Is that why Farlan has been drawing with burnt wood all day?"

"Yep," Isabel giggled, having seen Farlan's terrible drawings herself. He wasn't the most artistic person, but they would at least get the point across.

"Do you know where Levi is then?" Kyori tilted her head, they hadn't seen Levi all day.

"He said he was going out to get food and clothes for us." Isabel shrugged. "You two are growing out of your clothes apparently."

"Usually Farlan gets clothes for us," Kiara said, blinking in surprise.

"Levi is rather pissed at me and Farlan," Isabel scoffed, "So, Levi is making Farlan prepare to give Kyori a certain lecture."

"Am I being punished too?" Kyori frowned slightly.

"Nah, but its a necessary lecture."

"Why is Levi mad at you guys?" Kiara asked, sitting up and washing her body.

"Because I kissed Farlan in front of you and it sparked the whole talk last night." Isabel grinned, completely unrepentant.

"Kissed?" Kiara tilted her head. "Is that what it's called when you touch lips with another person?"

"Yep! From what I hear, Levi kissed you last night," Isabel teased.

Kiara smiled brightly. "Yeah, he did! It felt really nice!"

Isabel hugged Kiara with a loud laugh. "I bet it did. Give me details!"

Kiara blinked, looking confused. "Um.. Well, I had to convince him, but when he finally did.. Kiss.. Me... It felt warm and tingling..." She flushed slightly. "To be honest, I didn't want him to stop. It felt safe and secure... I wasn't expecting it to feel like that at all."

Isabel grinned, glancing over at Kyori who looked slightly stunned.

"How did Levi react?" Isabel asked mischievously.

"Does it really feel that good?" Kyori asked, blinking over at the other two as they finished rinsing soap off their bodies.

"As for it feeling good, yeah... It felt really good... I want to do it again, but Levi made me promise not to until I was older." Kiara sighed. "He didn't seem pleased with it. He didn't look at me much after and his voice was rough."

Isabel raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. "I think he liked it more than he let on. He was probably embarrassed because of your ages. I mean, a nineteen year old man kissing a thirteen year old girl isn't exactly... Good in most cases.."

"What do you mean?" Kiara blinked.

"Well.. Usually in situations where an adult male is kissing a female child, the situation is forced on the child. It usually ends up in rape or something... At least, that's what I've seen on the streets." Isabel glowered darkly.

Kiara tilted her head, swallowing slightly. "But I really liked it with Levi. I definitely wanted it."

"Yeah, I know. I think he just needs time to get used to the idea." Isabel got out of the water and toweled off carelessly. Kiara and Kyori followed her lead, both looking a bit confused.

"Isabel.. What if Levi is my special person?" Kiara asked as she pulled on one of Farlan's old tattered shirts.

Isabel turned to look at her before kissing the side of her head. "Then, everything will fall into place when you're a little older. Don't worry about it." She didn't add that she was certain that Levi was already in love with the kid. Levi needed to grow a pair and tell her himself...which probably wouldn't happen until they were old and gray.

When the three girls left the bathroom freshly washed, they found Levi and Farlan sitting at the table. Farlan was pouring over the last of his drawings.

"What's that?" Kyori asked frowning as Kiara stole an apple from Levi.

"Tonight's story has some pictures," Farlan answered awkwardly.

Levi gave Kiara a look before taking the towel and comb from her porcelain hand.

"Your drawings aren't very good," Isabel noted, taking the stick he was using to draw with. She lit the end on fire and let it burn a little before blowing the flame out and starting to draw on Farlan's work, adding a little detail here and there on the different pages.

Kiara ate the rest of Levi's apple as he dried her hair, humming softly in amusement. When he was finished drying her hair and braiding the long locks, Kiara pressed her lips to his cheek, testing his boundaries.

Levi tensed slightly, his gaze finding Kiara's suspiciously. Kiara grinned at him innocently and he sighed. "You're not going to let it go, are you?" he grumbled, low enough that only Kiara could hear.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. On the cheek isn't an in love thing. Isabel, Farlan, and Kyori kiss my cheeks and forehead all the time." Kiara smiled cheekily. "Besides... I liked kissing you. It makes me feel safe and warm."

Levi narrowed his eyes before giving into her. "No lips," he finally sighed.

"Until I'm older," she reminded him, smirking.

Levi tugged on her braid and picked the small girl up. "There's more clothes in the laundry for the two of you. They should last a while unless you hit another growth spurt."

"Thank you." Kiara grinned. Her pants were showing so much ankle now, she had re-purposed them into shorts last week and her shirts had been showing too much stomach for her liking. "Maybe I'll outgrow you," she teased.

"In your dreams, brat," he muttered, grabbing his tea. He carried Kiara to the couch and sat with her on it, waiting for Isabel and Farlan to finish up.

Kiara curled up on his lap, humming to herself as she waited for Farlan and Isabel to finish whatever they were doing.

"Sing for me?"

Kiara looked up at Levi, considering for a moment. She nuzzled closer to him as she felt his fingers tracing patterns on her shoulder. She smiled slightly and started to sing the lullaby Kyori sang for her when she couldn't sleep. "I'll cradle you in my arms tonight. A sun embraces the moonlight. The clouds will carry us off tonight. Our dreams will run deep like the sea. Our dreams will run deep like the sea... Constant as the stars above. Always know that you are loved and my love shining in you, will help you make your dreams come true... will help your dreams come true.."

Kiara didn't notice how close they were getting, but their faces seemed to be drawing nearer. The sound of Farlan and Isabel standing up and approaching drew Levi's attention and interrupted Kiara's song. She didn't mind, but she was curious what would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted.

"Kyori! Come here," Farlan called, holding the sheets of paper.

Isabel sat down next to Levi and drew Kiara into her lap instead. "Hope you don't mind if I steal your girlfriend, big brother," she smirked, "I want to cuddle my little sister."

Kiara's mouth parted slightly as she blinked, looking over at Levi who was glaring at Isabel. Thankfully, Kyori appeared from the bathroom before Levi could retort. She looked wearily at Farlan.

"Yes...?"

"Its time for the story," Farlan responded, trying to keep the embarrassment off his face.

Kyori frowned, but situated herself on Levi's lap, her arms folding. "Alright..."

Levi's arm wrapped around Kyori automatically. Despite the twins being completely identical outwardly, it felt strange to hold Kyori. He didn't feel the same emotions that holding Kiara gave him. He didn't feel the sense of Kyori belonging in his arms.

Kiara glanced up at Levi with a small smile as she wrapped her arms around Isabel.

Farlan cleared his throat, looking awkward and embarrassed, but one dirty look from Levi was the only prompt he needed to start.

"So, once upon a time, there was a man called Penis," he started awkwardly, sending a glare at Isabel who snorted, "he had a lifetime goal: He wanted to become big and strong."

Farlan held up a picture of a crudely drawn flaccid penis. "This is what Penis looks like. One day, after Penis was an adult, he met a woman named Vagina. Vagina didn't look anything like him," Farlan held up an even cruder drawing of a vagina, "Penis really liked Vagina. He wanted to cuddle her and get close to her."

Isabel burst out laughing so hard tears were streaming from her eyes. Farlan glared at his girlfriend, flushing faintly. Even Levi seemed amused. Kiara tilted her head in confusion. This wasn't how Levi had explained it to her.

Kyori, however, was already starting to look disgusted. She knew full well what a penis was. She had accidentally walked in on Levi changing once and had seen more of him than she had ever wanted to see.

"Ah... Well, after Penis and Vagina got to know each other, they fell in love. They got closer each other and Penis found himself growing stronger and bigger because of how much he loved Vagina." Farlan held up a picture of an erection. "Eventually, Penis and Vagina wanted to be as close as it was possible to be. So.. Penis went inside Vagina... And they... Uh.. Danced."

"This sounds so fucking gross," Kyori grumbled, looking sick.

"Right. It is very gross," Isabel snorted in amusement.

"Anyways... After dancing, Penis felt so good and happy, he started crying inside Vagina. Those tears contained something special called semen. The semen traveled inside Vagina until it reached a special spot inside her. Then, a baby started being made inside Vagina. After nine months, the baby came out of Vagina and she and Penis had a new family. The end."

Farlan set down the pictures he had been using to illustrate his story, his face a brilliant red.

"What the actual fuck was the point of that?" Kyori demanded, glaring darkly. "That was the most disgusting thing I have ever heard."

"Ah.. So, basically that is what happens in real life. A man and a woman will do this.. It's called sex." Farlan rubbed his head.

"I don't want a man anywhere near me like that," Kyori snorted, "I would rather be with another woman."

Levi, Isabel, and Farlan blinked at her several times. "Well, that's completely fine," Farlan said slowly, "there is no problem in preferring women. The sex is a bit different, but you just need figure that out on your own."

Isabel could barely hold back her laughter. "At least, you know what straight sex is though. Gay sex is completely different."

Levi made a noise of agreement as Kyori wrinkled her nose. "Just don't let anyone force you into sex. You always have the right to refuse it no matter the person. If you don't want it, it's rape and that is one of the most despicable crimes." Levi tugged on her hair. "You and Kiara and Isabel will tell us if anyone rapes you. Do I make myself clear?"

Kiara nodded immediately, already knowing to tell Levi and Farlan if something like that happened. Kyori only shrugged.

"I can take care of myself, big brother." Isabel laughed, kissing Kiara on the temple.

"Tell me at the very least. I'm your boyfriend, Isabel," Farlan said sternly.

"Alright, alright," Isabel giggled, blowing him a kiss.

"I'm pretty sure you guys have traumatized me," Kyori announced. "I'm going to bed."

With that, Kyori slipped off Levi's lap and quickly escaped into her room, muttering darkly.

* * *

Notes:

Thanks for reading Chapter 2! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. As always, feedback is appreciated!

Also, the song Kiara sings is a lullaby from a Barbie movie my little sister loves.


	3. Brave Shine

AN: So yeah... This chapter definitely has trigger warnings. Mostly rape and underage stuff. Some talk of human trafficking as well.

* * *

 _"Brave shine, if you need a hand to hold then stay the night. On the darkest of my days you saved my life." -Amalee_

"Do you think Isabel is going to be okay?" Kiara asked Kyori as they sat behind their house.

"I think she's going to be fine. Stop worrying so much." Kyori shrugged. "Isabel can handle herself."

Kiara sighed, starting to work on cleaning the laundry. "It's only been a month... And their work is..."

There was an unspoken agreement between Levi, Farlan, and the twins to not talk about their 'work'. The men were careful to not drag the girls into their work. They didn't want them in danger of getting hurt or caught. The twins weren't entirely sure what Farlan and Levi did, but Kiara maintained that she felt it wasn't necessarily good.

"Levi and Farlan are with her. To be honest, I'm surprised Isabel insisted on joining them today though." Kyori frowned, wringing the clothes Kiara handed her before hanging them up to dry.

"Yeah. It kinda came out of nowhere. I mean, I know she's been training with 3DMG... I just hope nothing goes wrong." Kiara sighed and shook her head.

"Do you have a feeling that something will go wrong?"

"Ah... Not really," she admitted after a moment.

"Then, its really unlikely that something will go wrong." Kyori shrugged as if that ended the conversation.

Kiara rolled her eyes and went back to doing laundry, focusing on the chore. She didn't want to miss a spot and then have to listen to Levi lecture her on how to wash clothes.

Once they were finished, Kiara stretched. "Should I make lunch?" she offered politely.

"Sure." Kyori grinned. Kiara had never offered to cook before. "I'm going to go dust, sweep, and mop."

"Alright." Kiara waved mockingly and went back inside as Kyori finished hanging up the laundry. Once in the kitchen, Kiara had a sudden realization. She had never cooked before. She hadn't even watched Kyori cook.

"It can't be that hard..." Kiara mumbled and got started.

* * *

"What the hell is going on here?!" Kyori gasped, coming out of Farlan and Isabel's room.

Dark smoke was coming out of the kitchen, making her cough. Kyori rushed into the kitchen, seeing Kiara collapsed on the floor. Quickly, she removed the pot from the heat, wondering what on earth Kiara had been trying to cook.

Kyori put out the fire in the stove next, still coughing hard. The next thing on her list was to open all of the windows in the house. Finally, she checked on her sister.

"Kiara! Wake up!" she yelled, slapping her face hard.

Kiara bolted up right, coughing.

"What the hell did you try cooking?!" Kyori demanded, choking on the smoke that was slowly venting out of their home.

"Ah... I was going to make some tea and sandwiches," Kiara rasped.

"Tea... You caused this mess by boiling water." It was in that moment, Kyori decided to not allow Kiara in the kitchen ever again.

She grabbed a couple apples and some bread before dragging Kiara outside again, shaking her head all the way.

"I'm sorry," Kiara whined once they were outside.

"Shut up and eat," Kyori growled, shoving half the food into her hands. "What even possessed you to want to cook if you don't know how?!"

Kiara flushed and looked down. "Isabel said it would be nice to surprise Levi with my own cooking," she mumbled.

Kyori stared at her sister for a moment before smacking the older twin over the head. "The best surprise you can give him is to never set foot in a kitchen again," she deadpanned.

Kiara pouted, but was spared answering by a low whine and then a loud yelp.

"What... Was that?" she asked nervously.

Kyori frowned and took a step toward the noise. She drew her sai from her belt and gestured her sister to stay where she was before sneaking next door. The sound was coming from a small dog stuck in a caged rat trap.

"Poor thing," Kyori whispered, going to cage quietly. She fed the dog a few bites of her bread before opening the cage.

"There you go, you're free." Kyori pet the dog before going back to her sister. "It was just a dog."

"I see that," Kiara answered, nodding her head at the white and dark brown dog following her twin.

Kyori blinked and looked down at the dog wagging its tail. "Oh... Shit," she muttered.

"You try getting rid of it before Levi and Farlan get back while I finish cleaning," Kiara suggested, petting the cute dog. "Good luck."

Kyori groaned and nodded. She picked up the dog and set off at a sprint, racing between buildings and people. She wanted to get back home and help clean before dinner. She set the dog down after a long run.

"Stay," Kyori said sternly before starting back home in a sprint. The sound of barking made her stop. She looked around and found the dog following her. Cursing, Kyori picked it up again and carried it to the market, hoping it would lose her in the crowd. She was almost home before she noticed the dog was beside her.

"Son of a..." Kyori growled, bringing the dog as far away from home as possible. She scaled the closest building and took the roofs home, feeling exhausted from running all over the city. The lack of fresh air didn't help. When she finally got home, she collapsed in the backyard, under the laundry. Good. She had ditched the dog. She tried to catch her breath as she laid on the ground tiredly.

* * *

Kiara had just finished cleaning the house when Isabel's arms wrapped around her. "Oh! Isabel!" Kiara turned and hugged the woman she considered an older sister.

"What's... That smell?" Farlan asked, wrinkling his nose.

Kiara flushed, carefully avoiding looking at Levi. "I tried to make lunch," she mumbled.

"Oh... Well, practice makes perfect. What did you try cooking?" Isabel grinned, still draped over Kiara.

"Tea." Kiara lowered her head in shame.

Isabel paused for a moment before hugging the girl to hide the grin on her lips. "Ah.. At least you're really good at cleaning."

"Speaking of cooking, where's Kyori?" Levi asked, glancing into the kitchen.

"Oh.. Uh... I think she's still outside?" Kiara mumbled, looking incredibly nervous.

Levi narrowed his eyes and quickly went outside through backdoor. Kyori was asleep on the ground, looking completely worn out. On her stomach was a small dog curled up.

"It's so cute!" Isabel immediately shouted, bounding over and picking up the dog.

"No. Don't even think about it. We are not keeping a dog," Levi said automatically.

"But look at how cute it is!" Isabel grinned widely, showing off the dog eagerly.

"No. Dogs are dirty and have all sorts of germs!" Levi pulled Kiara away from the dog protectively.

"They're not all that bad," Farlan said, petting the dog as Isabel grinned. "But we can't afford to feed him anyways. We'll never get to the surface or citizenship if we keep taking in mouths to feed."

"What are we going to do with him then?" Isabel pouted.

"Leave him outside. He'll get bored and leave eventually," Levi grumbled as Farlan picked up Kyori.

* * *

Much to Levi's dismay, the dog hung around their backyard for the next few weeks. Short of killing the damn thing, there seemed to be no way to get rid of it.

"I'm going to kill it," he announced as the dog started barking after Farlan's story one night.

"No!" Kiara frowned, straddling Levi's lap and pinning him to the couch. Of course, he could easily throw her off him, but he didn't want to.

"It's fucking annoying," he growled.

"Levi..." Kiara pouted. "No killing the dog."

Farlan peeked out the kitchen window to see the small animal. "What the... It's eating a rat. That runt might be useful after all."

Levi arched an eyebrow and stood up. He crossed to the window with Kiara in his arms. The girl looked miffed because despite trying to hold down Levi, he had just stood up with her.

Kiara pointedly didn't look at the scene outside. She didn't care for gore. She could handle it, but if she didn't have to see it, she would rather not.

"Maybe you're right," Levi noted, watching the dog devour the rat.

* * *

By the end of the week, the dog had been welcomed into their family after a very thorough bath.

"We should name him!" Isabel said excitedly. "How about Dogmeat?!"

Kiara wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"Annoying Little Shit?" Levi suggested tonelessly.

"Well, whatever we name the runt, we should get him a bowl for water at least. And maybe some rope to bring him on walks." Farlan tilted his head thoughtfully.

"We'll get them tomorrow," Levi sighed, pushing the dog away from him again.

"I don't think we need the rope. I left him across the city and he still followed me back," Kyori pointed out.

"Fair point. So a water bowl. He can eat scraps and rats." Levi sighed, the dog sniffing around his feet.

"The runt likes you," Isabel giggled.

"Ugh, its breath is so disgusting." Levi grimaced as the dog jumped into his lap.

"Hey, lets bring him on a walk!" Kiara suggested excitedly, looking up pleadingly.

"That's a great idea," Kyori chimed in.

"I could use a walk." Isabel jumped up and grabbed Farlan's hand.

Levi glanced down at Kiara's begging face before sighing. "Fine."

"He has a hard time saying no to Kiara, doesn't he?" Isabel murmured in Farlan's ear.

"Yeah, it's been getting more prominent since he kissed her too," Farlan breathed back as they put their shoes on.

The dog barked excitedly as their family walked outside, letting the dog and Kyori run ahead. The other four walked side by side, Farlan and Isabel holding hands.

"Kyori looks so happy," Kiara murmured, smiling happily.

"She does," Levi agreed as their hands brushed together.

"It's nice to see her come out of her shell." Kiara grinned up at Levi as she took his hand. "Thank you for letting us keep him."

"Just make sure you clean up after him." Levi laced their fingers together automatically.

"We will." Kiara smiled, watching her twin running and playing with the dog.

* * *

"Kyori!" Kiara knelt on their mattress worriedly, pressing her hand to her sister's forehead.

"Is something wrong?" Isabel asked, poking her head into the room.

"Kyori won't wake up," Kiara informed her, looking nervous and scared. "She's burning up."

Isabel blinked and quickly went to her side, feeling her forehead. "Its definitely a fever. She needs sleep."

"Farlan and I will go get her some medicine," Levi said, frowning as he walked in. "Isabel, make sure she eats and try to break the fever.. But don't get sick."

Levi walked over to Kiara and picked up the fourteen year old.

"Kiara, let's braid your hair, alright?"

"But.." Kiara bit her lip.

"This room is off limits for you today. You're not getting sick too," Levi stated firmly, he grabbed fresh clothes for the girl and carried her to the bathroom.

Kiara whined softly, but changed into the clothes Levi had picked. The white shorts fell to mid thigh and the shirt was midnight blue. Sighing, she brushed her teeth before grabbing the comb.

"Levi, what about my sister?" Kiara mumbled, going out to the living room and sitting on the floor in front of him.

"I know you're worried, but it's going to be fine. Isabel will take care of Kyori. Your task is cleaning today." Levi combed the braid out of her hair before tying it in its usual long braid.

Cleaning was what she did everyday, but it was a soothing and distracting activity. "Alright... Can I bring Runt on a walk later?"

"Just be careful when you do. Bring your knife." He was a bit hesitant because Kiara and Kyori hadn't had a need to practice fighting in years... But he was sure it would be alright.

Levi pulled her onto his lap, his hands absently tracing her sides. "Levi?" She mumbled, trembling slightly under the light touches. "Can you kiss me?" She murmured, licking her lower lip absently.

Levi frowned. It wasn't the first time she had asked for a kiss since he had kissed her a year ago. Levi had acquiesced each time, kissing her forehead, temples, eyes, nose, jaw, ears, cheeks, fingers, hands... Anywhere but her lips. Kiara had just turned fourteen today... So what harm could giving her another kiss do? Levi dipped his head and kissed her chin below her lips. He felt the soft breath that left her, but only raised his head.

"Mm... Thank you... Twenty-six years seems a long time to wait."

"Deal with it," Levi hummed, tugging on her braid.

"Hey, Levi, you ready yet? It might take awhile to do our 'mission' and get the medicine." Farlan looked at the pair. "Save your flirting for tonight."

"It's not like that..." Levi grumbled, standing up and giving Kiara one last look.

"We'll back soon."

"Be safe." Kiara hugged Farlan and then Levi.

"We will."

* * *

Kiara sighed as she finished her chores. Normally, it didn't take her so long, but usually she had Kyori's help. She could see the sunset from an open vent not far away.

"Hey, Runt, want to go on a walk?" She asked the dog cheerfully. Runt barked and ran to the door.

"Isabel! I'm taking Runt on a walk!" She called before putting on her brown boots and heading outside.

Runt bolted ahead of her, wagging his tail excitedly. Kiara grinned and followed him, playing with her knife in her pocket. She had a small worried feeling growing in the pit of her stomach, but it had been there since Kiara had woken up to her sick twin, so the teen dismissed it.

She walked along their usual route, watching Runt investigate new smells ahead of them. It felt weird to be walking him alone. Usually she walked Runt with Kyori and Isabel.. and sometimes Farlan or Levi.

Kiara hummed softly to herself as she let Runt take the lead, a small smile gracing her lips. She absolutely loved Runt. He was loyal, playful, and sweet tempered.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts, Kiara failed to pay attention to her surroundings until she felt someone grab her braid and pull harshly. Automatically, Kiara pulled out her knife and cut her braid off, turning on her heel and growling. She didn't recognize the man holding her braid, nor any of the three men standing with him. Kiara narrowed her eyes.

"Don't you dare touch me," she hissed, holding her knife out.

The men laughed. "Oh, we got a feisty one."

Kiara did her best to not seem small and scared. She had only fought titans before... Never a group of men who possessed intelligence...and she hadn't had a need to fight for four years.

"I will kill you," she growled, wishing she had brought her chakrams or her whip. She was even tempted to scream for Levi and Farlan, but that wouldn't do her any good. She doubted they were nearby.

"Runt, go get Levi," she called desperately, doubting it would work, but the dog did cock his head and took off running.

"Levi... Who are you? One of his little thugs?" A blond man snorted.

"Wha... No, I'm not," Kiara's voice wavered, her hands shaking slightly.

"She doesn't look like a thug," another man pointed out, eyeing her like a piece of meat.

"Who is Levi to you, bitch?" The first man demanded, advancing on her.

"He's..." Kiara swallowed nervously. "He's someone who is taking care of me."

"So you're someone special to him, huh?" The third man sneered. "Good. He's killed off enough of us. It's time he lost someone, too."

"What?!" Kiara froze, fear flooding her.

"Wait.. Look at her... That porcelain skin, blood red hair, and her eyes... They're almost purple. She's definitely not bad to look at either. This beauty will fetch a mint at auction. I've never seen someone with such unusual coloring," the man holding her braid mused, "but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun with her first."

"What do you mean?" Kiara felt her heart racing in fear.

"Such a naive child," a woman's voice behind her spoke.

Kiara's mouth fell open as the knife was knocked out of her hand by someone behind her. Kiara spun around, her heart pounding in her chest. Two women were behind her, looking no less threatening than the men. She had never practiced hand to hand combat. There had never been a need. She regretted that now. Her only option was to run.

Kiara swallowed hard and took off running, barreling toward the women in the alley. Maybe she could find Levi and Farlan. She barely past them when a body collided with hers, knocking her hard to the ground.

"Get off me!" Kiara gasped, trying to get up. The weight didn't leave her body though. She struggled against him as her arms were yanked painfully behind her.

"Stop struggling and shut up," the man growled, fisting his hand in her hair and grinding her face into the ground. Kiara bit her lip to stop herself from whimpering, feeling the cloth being tied around her wrists. Her arms were being forced into a painful angle.

"Levi!" She screamed desperately as she felt someone pulling down her shorts. The man flipped her over, his hand wrapping around her throat hard enough to cut off her air.

"Shut up. If you say another goddamn word or make another fucking sound, we'll kill everyone. Levi, Farlan, Isabel, all those fucking brats they have helping them.. I'll kill them all," the man choking her hissed.

Kiara froze, staring up at the man as she tried to get air into her lungs. She felt hands pull her shorts and underwear the rest of the way down. They took her boots off and threw them somewhere Kiara couldn't see in the shadows. Then, her legs were forced apart. Kiara whimpered, struggling again. She felt cold fingers spreading her open.

"She's a virgin," a woman announced gleefully. "You guys are just going to have to fuck her ass and mouth. A virgin will get an even higher price."

Kiara stared up at the woman, struggling to breathe. She had no clue what was going on, but she knew it wasn't good. Kiara kicked out as a man knelt between her legs, but he only grabbed them and laughed.

"Cut off her shirt," the second woman instructed, "I want to see how developed her tits are." Kiara struggled harder as a knife tore open her shirt and whimpered again.

"Shit. She's hardly got anything at all. Must still be a kid.." The second woman grumbled. "And now her hair is all uneven. That will lower the price."

"Nah, she'll develop tits soon enough. She must be an early teen.. And her hair will grow back. I'm sure we can still get a decent price for her." The first woman shrugged. "Try not to bruise her too much. Particularly her face."

"Fuck you two are bossy," a man with dark brown hair growled, pulling his erection out of his pants.

That's when Kiara understood what was going to happen to her. Levi and Farlan had talked about sex nearly a year ago, but Kiara remembered Levi warning her about rape and that she had the right to refuse sex.

Desperately, she started shaking her head. She didn't want to have sex with any of these men. The hand on her throat tightened, making breathing almost impossible. When she felt the man's erection nudging against her, it wasn't where she bled from like Levi had told her.

 _Fuck her ass and mouth._

A hand clamped over her mouth and nose as the man forced himself inside of her, tearing a scream of agony from her that no one heard.

* * *

Levi cleaned blood off his blade with a disgusted expression. Ignoring the bodies littering the ground, he turned to Farlan.

"This got messy," he grumbled.

"Yeah, but these pigs needed to be dealt with. Human trafficking is disgusting..." Farlan shook his head.

"It is."

"To be honest, I'm worried about the twins... Walking Runt, they could run into these creeps." Farlan sighed. "They haven't even been trained in ha-" The sound of barking cut him off.

Levi and Farlan both looked toward the noise. Runt was running towards them, barking at them.

"What in the world..." Farlan murmured, kneeling down. "Runt, what are you doing here?"

Levi tensed, his eyes narrowing. "Kiara said she was going to bring him on a walk earlier... I think you were onto something just now."

Farlan paled considerably. "You don't think...?"

Levi was already off, soaring through the air to get home. He had a sinking feeling his gut. Something was definitely wrong.

* * *

A man had Kiara's legs slung over his shoulders and was pounding into her rear harshly. Kiara tried to scream, but she couldn't make a sound. It hurt to even try. Her throat was aching from the choking, but the men wouldn't let her pass out, slapping her awake every time she closed her eyes.

Kiara tried struggling again for a moment, but she gave up quickly. There was no way to fight back against the six people surrounding her. She could barely even move.

Angry tears poured out of her eyes as another man forced her mouth open, shoving his filthy penis down her throat. She gagged at the taste and bit down hard, but all that it earned her was a hard slap. She felt the other man raping her pull out and then something wet coating her stomach. Before she could even hope that it was over, a third man took his place. Kiara slumped back, all the will leaving her body.

It was too much for the teenager. She didn't even flinch when a woman tried to get another reaction out of her by slapping her in between the legs. She panted for breath as the man pulled out of her mouth and felt more warm liquid cover her face and hair. She didn't care. Kiara didn't even try to bite the other man who replaced his partner.

"We should be able to sell her tonight," one of the women noted, looking over the mess of a girl carefully.

Kiara felt more tears leak out of her eyes. She was going to be sucked into human trafficking. No one would even know what had happened to her. Kyori would be so worried... And she didn't want to think of how Levi, Farlan, and Isabel would react when she didn't come home. At least these people didn't know about Kyori.. She was certain twins would get even higher price.

Kiara blinked tears out of her eyes. She could barely remain , she heard a dog barking and looked towards the sound. Someone was walking silently towards the group surrounding her, but she couldn't make out any details. She only hoped the person wasn't about to join in on the rape. Kiara blinked a few times before sinking into the dark bliss of unconsciousness.

* * *

It didn't take long for Levi and Farlan to find the dark alley with a group of people huddled in it. Runt led them right to it.

Levi and Farlan landed softly on a roof above them as Runt ran forward, barking and biting at the rapists. A man kicked out at the dog, knocking Runt into a wall hard. The dog fell to the ground with a whimper and stopped moving. Levi's expression darkened as he pulled out his sword.

He let himself fall silently at the end of the alley and started stalking forward. He stopped for a brief moment when he saw what the people were huddled around, his blood running cold. Kiara's clothes were torn off her and, Levi's stomach dropped, she was being raped. He saw her eyes turning to look at him, but he could tell her eyes were unfocused even in the dark. They looked dead. He wasn't going to get that sight out of his head anytime soon.

 _How long has this been going on?_ Levi thought, anger welling inside of him as he saw Kiara's eyes close.

In the next few seconds, he and Farlan had slaughtered all six of the rapists before they had even known they were there. Levi immediately took down the two people who were raping her, making sure the bodies landed far away from Kiara. He let Farlan kill the other four people in favor of taking care of the unconscious teenager.

Levi quickly checked Kiara's body over, feeling sick. She was starting to bruise around her neck and thighs. She was breathing, but it was ragged, even in her sleep. Most disgusting was the semen covering her face and stomach.

Levi took a deep breath before checking between her legs. He needed to know if there was a chance she could get pregnant from this, but either they hadn't gotten to raping her vagina yet, or they hadn't wanted to rape her there for some reason. Levi didn't care what the reason was, he was just glad that Kiara wouldn't get pregnant and that she hadn't suffered that particular trauma. Her ass, however, was dripping blood. One quick look told him that her anus had been torn.

Levi glared, wanting to kill the rapists again, but he only picked up the tattered remains of Kiara's shirt and cleaned the semen and blood off her. He shrugged off his cloak and wrapped it around her. After cutting her hands free, he picked her up, noticing her hair had been cut short absently.

Kiara's eyes fluttered open and looked up at him unseeingly. She mouthed his name, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. Levi felt her relax again and saw her eyes fall shut again. He swallowed bile building up in his throat and tucked the girl's head into his neck.

Levi turned to Farlan who was standing over Runt with a knife. He raised a questioning eyebrow at his best friend.

"He's dead. His skull was cracked open, so I put him down and ended his suffering." Farlan sighed, standing up and looking at Levi and Kiara. "How is she?"

"She'll live, but she's going to be in pain for a long time." Levi threw a dirty look at the bodies littering the alley.

"Should we be worried about pregnancy?" Farlan asked, looking sick. Levi shook his head.

"They probably were planning on selling her as a virgin. Lets head back. I don't want her to wake up here."

Farlan nodded stiffly and they went home silently, both men feeling disgusted and angry.

"Hey, you're home late.." Isabel greeted when they walked in the front door before freezing. "Is that Kiara?"

"Yes.. I'm going to give her a bath. Farlan.. Explain it to Isabel and get me one of my shirts," Levi said in a tight voice, storming to the bathroom.

Isabel must have already been preparing a bath because the water was fresh. Levi would rather use hot water for her bath, but he wasn't willing to go through the ordeal of heating the water. He wanted to get this done and over with.

He gently took the cloak off Kiara and what little clothing that remained on her small body before lowering her into the water. The teenager stirred slightly, her fingers grasping his shirt, but she didn't wake up.

Levi cleaned Kiara methodically, making sure to be gentle with her bottom. At least the bleeding had stopped. Kiara's eyes fluttered open as the wash cloth passed between her legs, a whimper escaping her before she relaxed again.

"It's okay, Kiara. You're safe," he murmured, finishing his task by washing her hair and face carefully. When he was done, he drained the tub and picked her up in a towel.

"Levi, here's your shirt," Farlan said coming in. "Has she woken up?"

"No. Not fully. She made a few sounds and grabbed me, but that's about it." Levi raked his fingers through his hair.

"She's going to be alright, Levi," Isabel said, kneeling beside the bathtub and helping Levi put the shirt on Kiara.

"I know she's going to recover physically. She was just so innocent before. I don't know how this is going to change her." Levi sighed, drying her hair so she wouldn't catch a cold.

"She's a strong girl. I think she'll be fine with time and support," Farlan murmured. "At least she didn't get pulled into human trafficking."

Levi nodded, clenching his jaw as Kiara stirred again. The girl wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whined, clearly in pain.

"I'm putting her to bed. Isabel, can you give Kyori her medicine?"

"Of course." She held out her hand for the medicine. Farlan gave it to her and kissed her forehead.

Levi carried Kiara into their room, glancing at Kyori who was still sick going by the soft coughs coming from her.

Levi sighed. He didn't want to lay Kiara next to her and have her catch her cold. One sick teenager was all he could handle and he doubted Kiara's body would be able to fight a cold and heal adequately.

He frowned before placing her on his bed, but when he went to leave, Kiara's hands fisted into his shirt, holding him there. He blinked and looked down at Kiara before sighing heavily. Her face was scrunched up as if she were having a nightmare.

Kiara wouldn't let go of his shirt despite his efforts to gently free himself. Frowning, he shook his head and laid beside the redhead, letting her curl against him in her sleep.

When Isabel came in shortly after, she looked over at the two bodies on Levi's bed in surprise. "Levi.. I know you have feelings for her, but is that wise?" she murmured, holding a cup filled with the medicine and water.

"She wouldn't let go of me and I don't want her catching Kyori's cold," Levi grumbled from amid the blankets. He didn't bother denying Isabel's statement. He knew she wouldn't believe him anyways.

"So, you're finally done denying your feelings, big brother?" Isabel grinned, sitting on the bed beside them. "Does that mean you're going to confess?"

"You really think I'm going to confess to a fourteen year old?" Levi glared at Isabel.

"She's not that young. She's only four years away from being of age." Isabel shrugged.

"And I'm not a pedophile," Levi growled, "Give Kyori her medicine and get out. The twins need rest."

Isabel giggled quietly before doing as she was told. She woke Kyori up long enough to drink the medicine and soon the girl was back to sleep.

"Call me if you need anything," Isabel murmured before leaving.

* * *

When Kiara woke again, her internal clock told her it was well into the night. She winced in pain, her hand going to her throat. She couldn't make a sound and when she tried, she remembered a dark voice threatening the people she loved.

She looked at the chest she had been sleeping against, confusion crossing her features. It definitely wasn't Kyori. She blinked several times before realization hit her. She had been raped and was supposed to be sold. Panic flooded her.

Kiara sat up, pushing against the body roughly, struggling to get away. She heard a soft grunt come from the person as she pushed against them. In a split second, she was pressed into the bed, the body hovering over her. She squeezed her eyes closed, terrified.

"Kiara, look at me," the person demanded quietly.

Kiara stopped struggling and opened her eyes, recognizing the voice. She tried saying his name, but her voice wouldn't come out.

Levi looked down at the teenager, frowning slightly. "Can you speak?"

Kiara shook her head once, looking scared.

"You're safe. There's no need to be scared anymore. Can you breathe and relax for me?" he murmured, stroking her hair out of her face.

Kiara swallowed, staring up at Levi as she slowly calmed down. She knew she was safe with him. Levi hadn't let anything hurt her before. She shakily raised a hand and drew on his chest, remembering that she was supposed to tell him if she was ever raped. She carefully wrote the letters over his shirt. R-A-P-E.

Levi watched her finger write on him attentively, smoothing her hair back.

"I know you were raped, Kiara. I saw it. You thought I was someone else when you woke up, right?"

Kiara hesitated, but nodded once, looking away from him as shame filled her.

"Hey, this wasn't your fault. You were outnumbered. You didn't ask for this." Levi tried to soothe the teenager, trailing his fingers through her uneven red hair.

Kiara bit a swollen lip, still upset. If she had just waited for Levi or Farlan, this wouldn't have happened. She shouldn't have walked Runt alone. She should have learned how to defend herself against humans. Levi frowned and used his thumb to gently guide her lip out from between her teeth.

"Listen... Kiara, this is not and will never be your fault. Those people were notorious human traffickers.. And all you had on you was that knife, right?" At Kiara's small nod, Levi continued. "They were experienced in taking people just like they did to you. You were outnumbered."

Kiara hesitantly looked up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Levi tried to remember if he had ever seen Kiara cry before and couldn't recall a time. Even now, the teenager wasn't letting them fall.

"The way I see it, you have two options. Either let this incident ruin your life or let it make you stronger. You can overcome this, Kiara. Wallowing in it is only going to make you miserable." He definitely didn't want to see this incident break her, but he wasn't sure what else he could do to help her overcome it.

Kiara blinked, her mouth parting slightly. She hadn't thought of it that way. Levi was right though. She had overcome far worse than this. A frown crossed her features. She wasn't sure how she knew that. It felt like it was coming from before she could remember. Brushing it off, she looked up at Levi. She wouldn't let this shake her. She would become stronger.

Levi saw the determination light up Kiara's eyes and sighed with relief. He let his forehead rest against hers, glad that the teenager's fighting spirit was back already. Kiara stared up at Levi. She tilted her head a little and their noses brushed. It tickled a little.

It was in that moment that Kiara knew she was in love with him. She didn't care that he was six years older or about any of the things Levi had told her about how she was too young to be in love. He hadn't just saved her from the rapists, human trafficking, or even from the underground city in general. He had also somehow saved her from herself. Levi could be an ass at times and he was definitely a neat freak, but Kiara absolutely loved him.

A small smile curved her lips as she felt Levi's breath fanning against them. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing.. Levi had only kissed her that one time a year ago, but he had told her that people who were in love kissed. He had also made her promise not to kiss again until she was older, but a year was enough in her eyes. Since she couldn't use her voice to tell Levi how she felt, she figured this was as good a way as any.

Kiara tilted her head up and pressed her lips clumsily against his. She felt Levi stiffen above her and watched as his eyes flew open. His eyes locked on hers for what felt like an eternity before his eyes fell closed.

Kiara was about to pull away when she felt his lips moving against hers. If she could have made a sound, it probably would have been one of surprise. His lips felt so warm against hers.. And she had forgotten just how good kissing him had felt. She settled into the kiss, keeping her eyes glued to his face and letting him lead her. He was beautiful like this. It was the first time she had seen him so.. not uptight.

"Kiara... If you want to keep this going, then close your eyes. It's unsettling to be stared at when I'm kissing you," he grumbled against her lips. _Oh, the scowl was back._

Kiara would have giggled if she could have, but she closed her eyes obediently. She kissed him again and slipped her arms around his shoulders. Levi made a soft muffled noise and cupped her cheek in his hand. He hadn't expected Kiara to kiss him, but he couldn't find it in him to push her away. Reasons like her being underage and six years younger than him didn't matter at the moment. In fact, nothing mattered to him apart from Kiara in that moment.

She was so inexperienced with the way she kissed, it was endearing. Kiara seemed so eager to show him something that she didn't want to slow down. Levi hummed softly and carefully slowed her pace down, turning the kiss languid and lazy.

Kiara sighed against his lips and reluctantly followed the pace he set for them, relaxing against the bed. She felt Levi's hand slip from her cheek to her neck, trailing over the skin lightly. She flinched, feeling unexpected pain as the skin protested against even the slightest touch.

Levi stilled, his lips still pressed against hers. Slowly, he raised his head and looked down at her. He cursed quietly when he realized why she had flinched. The bruise on her neck was already darkening and was probably considerably painful.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Levi sighed, flopping back down on the bed beside her.

Kiara frowned slightly and sat up carefully, looking at gently pressed their lips together again. Levi returned the kiss, but broke it quickly. His hand reached up automatically, brushing her red hair behind her ear. He was tempted to keep kissing her, but the sight of her bruised neck from the abuse made him stop. He couldn't keep doing this right after she had been raped. Besides that, she was only fourteen. The age gap didn't bother him so much, but her age did. She was still a kid.

Levi huffed out a sigh and slipped his fingers behind her head, intending to guide her head down to his shoulder again. He watched Kiara's eyes dilate and heard her breathing hitch. He knew she wanted to kiss him again. In fact, Kiara wasn't very patient and would- his thoughts were cut off by a pair of soft lips pressing against his.

 _Shit_ , he thought, feeling his pulse quicken again. His lips moved without his consent, kissing Kiara back for a moment. He pulled away from her for a third time that night, throwing an arm over his eyes. The teenager was really trying to test his patience tonight.

S-O-R-R-Y. She wrote on his chest slowly and carefully.

There was a moment's pause before Levi sighed and looked up at the girl who was watching him worriedly. "It's not your fault, but we shouldn't do this anymore. At least not right now. You're still a kid. Wait until you're older.. And not in a fragile emotional state from trauma."

Kiara tilted her head before nodding slowly. 4-0.

Levi blinked for a moment as he tried to figure out what she was meant. When he figured it out, he sighed, shaking his head. "Twenty-four," he finally said, "in ten years, if you want to... Do stuff like this with me still, have at it."

Kiara smiled slightly. At least she didn't have to wait until she was forty anymore. F-I-N-E.

She laid down next to him again, burying her face in his neck, and closed her eyes. She felt Levi stroking her hair, lulling her to sleep.

* * *

When she woke up, it was to Kyori shaking her shoulder. Kiara winced in pain, all of the adrenaline from the night before gone, and felt Levi's hand move from her waist to Kyori's wrist.

"Don't jostle her. She's in a lot of pain right now," he said, checking Kyori's temperature. Thankfully, her fever seemed to be gone.

"Why is she in bed with you?" Kyori demanded, frowning. Levi glanced at the sleep tousled redhead in his arms.

"Because you were sick. I didn't want her to get sick too."

Kiara looked up at her sister tiredly, trying to give her a reassuring smile.

"Wait, why is your neck all bruised? And what happened to your hair?" Kyori frowned, fretting over Kiara.

"Kyori, calm down. I'll explain everything. For now, let Kiara rest. She's been through an ordeal."

Kiara buried her face in Levi's pillow as the man got up carefully, making sure not move her more than necessary.

He pulled Kyori out of the bedroom and into the living room, grabbing the comb off the coffee table out of habit. Kyori reluctantly sat down in front of him.

"Tell me what happened to my sister," she growled as Levi started to fix her hair.

"Last night, Kiara was assaulted," he answered bluntly, "she was raped."

Kyori spun around, blanching. "No. Not again. Please tell me this is a sick joke."

Levi blinked, his hands stilling. "Not again?"

Kyori tensed, biting her lower lip. "I.. Can't.."

"Kyori, tell me. I'm not going to turn you away." Levi narrowed his eyes as Farlan walked in.

"What's going on here?" Farlan asked, yawning.

"Kyori is about to explain what she meant when she said 'not again' after I told her Kiara had been raped." Levi didn't turn away from Kyori.

Farlan blinked several times before kneeling down beside Kyori. "Kyori, do you know something that we don't? If you do, you should tell us. We are family... Something like this might be helpful to know if complications occur in either her mind or body."

Kyori folded her arms and glared at Levi before sighing. "I'll tell you.. But you need to promise me that you won't tell Kiara. Both of you. I want you to swear to secrecy."

Levi and Farlan glanced at each other before nodding slowly, both men certain that whatever Kyori was about to tell them, it had happened before Kiara could remember.


	4. Twisted by Design

AN: This chapter contains heavily underage rape and incest and child abuse, but it isn't too graphic.

* * *

 _"This blood on my hands is a blessing in a lifetime twisted by design." -Sum-41_

 _I am barely old enough to talk in sentences when a man I have never seen before takes my sister out of our crib. I see Kiara cry as the man pokes her with something sharp and then purple liquid disappearing into Kiara's arm. The sharp object is removed and I see Kiara bleeding. The man places a white square over the wound and then brings my sister back to me. I grab Kiara, seeing the white square on my own arm as she cries beside me. This is my first memory._

* * *

 _I stare at the anatomy book in front of me, not really paying attention to it, but going through the motions. I have a photographic memory. I can't forget things even when I want to. I'll review the material of the book tonight after I tell Kiara a story to help her sleep. I do that every night._

 _I send a quick glance at my sister. Kiara is pouring over a book about history and politics. Kiara notices my look and sends me weak smile. Her lips are bruised from being punished so many times today. I'm sure her jaw is hurting._

 _We're only three. Instead of playing, we have to learn about things that will be useful when we sneak into the walls. Everything from maths, writing, and sciences to fighting, gymnastics, and stealth._

 _I suppress a sigh and turn back to my book, flipping through the pages. A living rabbit and a scalpel enters my line of sight._

 _"Dissect this, label the organs, and cook the meat for dinner." A man with a thick Irish accent comes into view as I turn my head._

 _He looks like me and my sister in a way. He has red hair and indigo eyes like us, but his hair is a lighter shade of red and his eyes look like cold gemstones, missing the warmth Kiara and I share. He's tall, almost seven feet. He makes me feel so small._

 _I nod, taking the scalpel in my tiny white hand. I cut into the white fur of the rabbit smoothly, blood staining both my hands and the soft fur._

 _"Kiara, it's time for your lyre lesson," our father says and my heart clenches painfully. If Kiara messes up even on one note, she'll be punished. I should be used to this by now, but it never gets easier... and Kiara just started her lessons last week._

 _I turn my eyes back to my task, recalling the information I've read about dissecting as I listen to Kiara playing. I accidentally cut into the liver of the rabbit when I hear the wrong note fill the small living room._

 _"Its almost as if you enjoy being punished," our father says tonelessly and I glance over, unable to stop myself. His pants are already down, forcing my sister's mouth on him._

* * *

Levi and Farlan jerked away from Kyori's hands, both looking sick.

"I'm not done showing you," Kyori murmured, looking down.

"How are you fucking doing that?" Levi stared at the teenager, feeling repulsed by the vision he had seen.

"I don't know how I do it. It's the easiest way to give you the answers you were asking for." Kyori glared up at Levi and Farlan. "Do you want to know the rest or not?"

The men glanced at each other before nodding slowly. They each held out a hand for Kyori to take.

* * *

 _Snow is falling around my sister and me, our naked pale bodies nearly blending in with the white powder. It's cold. Both of us are shivering. Our mother is looking over Kiara's broken arm, hissing through her perfectly straight teeth._

 _Our mother looks more like us than our father, despite being Asian. We inherited her large almond shaped eyes, porcelain skin, small nose, and apple shaped lips. We even get our seemingly delicate bone structure from her. It looks like we're inheriting her height as well. Our mother is very beautiful woman and she stands at four feet and eight inches. She is beautiful, but cruel._

 _Kiara has tears streaming down her face and she's clutching her broken arm. This is the first time I've seen her crying in years and it makes my heart ache. Despite being seven years old, Kiara reminds me of when we were still toddlers._

 _"Great, now we have to set your arm and you'll be useless for the next month," our mother says harshly in her musical voice. She slaps Kiara. "Stop crying, child. The world doesn't give a fuck for you or your tears."_

* * *

 _Tomorrow is the day Kiara and I are supposed to go the walls. I can't wait to get away from our parents. My sister and I constantly have bruised lips from our punishments. Hopefully, we can leave our parents behind tomorrow without being punished again._

 _That hope is quickly dashed when I notice our father is drinking. He punishes us more often under the influence of alcohol. Kiara still vomits after every punishment. I don't._

 _I don't trust adults, particularly men, now. I know that our punishments are abuse and rape, I have read as much, but I can't do anything about it. I'm just a kid. Yes, I know how to kill titans... but I think killing a human would be much harder._

 _"Kyori, you're scowling at me. Come here," our father orders. My body moves on its own, knowing he would have found some reason to punish me or my sister. At least it is me. Our mother is watching. She doesn't care._

 _I kneel down and let him force his erection into my mouth, staring blankly at his belly button. This should be the last punishment. It's late. We should be allowed to sleep after this. Then, it's just a matter of starting our journey to the strait dividing the titan territory from us . So long as Kiara didn't get punished too, I could manage this._

 _I gag hard as our father pushes down my throat too roughly, sputtering around the appendage in my mouth._

 _"Stop! Father, you're choking Kyori," I hear Kiara shout from behind me. I want to curse as I feel the offending object remove itself. Instead, I throw up._

 _I look up once the vomit has finished forcing its way out of my throat and see Kiara has been stripped down. Our father has her on his lap and our eyes meet; Kiara's blue eyes are filled with tears. Kiara screams in pain as our father forces her body down on his erection._

 _The last bit of sanity I am holding onto snaps. I draw my twin sai from my belt and rush over, stabbing our father in the throat. I rip the blade outwards, tearing the metal through his neck._

 _Our mother screams or at least I think she does. I can't hear her over the blood rushing in my ears. My hands are shaking, but I lunge at her without a second thought, slicing open her abdomen and then stabbing her in the heart. Killing humans hadn't been as hard as I had thought._

 _I'm pretty sure that I'm covered in blood. I don't care. Kiara is watching me horror-struck. I care about that. She's covered in blood too, I realize, dragging her off our father's lap._

 _"Put on your clothes. We're starting our journey tonight," I say monotonously, rubbing the blood off her face with my thumbs. Kiara might be the older twin, but she's always seemed more vulnerable to me, like I need to protect her._

 _Kiara looks pale under our father's blood, her blue eyes wide and dark. I'm worried at first, but then her arms wrap around me and she's sobbing into my neck. I hug my sister's shaking body tightly until the sobs quiet down._

 _Wordlessly, I pack all the food in the house, our weapons, and our instruments into duffel bags. We only have one set of clothes each and there's no valuables in the house other than books. They would be too heavy to carry and I already have them memorized. They stay behind._

 _When I'm finished, I find two water skins and fill them with water from our well. By the time I turn to look at Kiara, she is dressed and ready leave._

 _Kiara doesn't speak as she takes a water skin and a duffel from me. I'm still worried I went too far, but I can't bring myself to feel guilty._

 _We walk outside. At least it is early fall. The walk to the strait isn't going to be too difficult, though the water will be cold. Our parents warned us the journey to the strait would take four days, but that isn't going to be terrible. If we wanted to, we could probably cut the journey in half if we ran. I don't care to run though, not when Kiara can barely walk straight._

 _"I know we're going to the walls, but I don't want to do our mission," Kiara finally speaks, sounding tired. "I don't want to forsake the people living there to those titans."_

 _"I know how you feel. We don't have to follow their plan anymore though. They're dead." I sigh, holding my sister's hand as she limps beside me._

 _"So, can we help them instead?" Kiara asks me, sounding hopeful._

 _"Lets get inside the walls first. After, we'll see if we can even help ourselves before helping the people living there," I say wearily, "I'm prioritizing us first. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again."_

* * *

 _The first titan we see is a smaller one. Kiara looks disgusted, probably because of its distorted body, but that doesn't stop her or I from scaling the nearest tree. I take the titan down first, using my now elongated sai to carve the back of its nape out._

 _Jumping off the titan, I land in the tree next to Kiara and give her a small smile. "See? Not that hard."_

 _Kiara matches my smile and hugs me. "I guess our parents really did teach us properly... Despite all of the..." Kiara grimaces._

 _"They won't hurt you anymore." I kiss her hair. "Lets stick to the trees as much as we can. We might even find food up here."_

 _Kiara nods and clutches me tightly before we resume our journey._

* * *

 _Kiara and I turn titan killing into a game. We don't go out of our way to kill the titans by hunting them down, but we keep score. It helps keep the boredom away._

 _The fear of being eaten is what keeps sleep away. We haven't slept since we swam across the strait to get here. We were lucky to find a fresh water source right when we arrived, though we are out of both food and water now. I'm certain that we skirted the walls completely or this whole thing has been a farce. Its been three days and there's no signs of any humans._

 _Kiara is showing the wear the journey is taking on her body. We've never gone so long without sleep before... and relieving her bowels is hard for her after what our father did, but she is starting to heal. I had killed our father before he could do too much damage apparently._

 _I feel absolutely no regret from killing our parents. On the contrary, I feel relieved and happy. I wonder if that makes me a bad a person. I decide I don't care when Kiara starts smiling again, covered in titan blood, on our third day in this forsaken place._

 _"I'm winning," she teases me, standing in a tree across from me. "Thirty-eight to thirty-six."_

 _I shake my head, smiling faintly with her. The blood covering her is already starting to evaporate. She took down two titans at once with her chakrams. I'm proud of her. Kiara is right. Our parents might have been the worst type of people, but they had taught us well._

 _I blink when I notice the sounds of fighting up ahead. Humans fighting and shouting orders. I look up, searching for the walls that are supposed to reach the sky. We must be close, but all I see are dense clouds in the far distance._

 _"Stay quiet, I'm going to climb the tree and see if the walls are near yet," I whisper urgently to my sister. Kiara nods, hoping onto the branch beside me._

 _I climb the rest of the tree in a minute and realize what I had taken for dense clouds when I was further down in the tree are the walls in the distance. I feel relief flood me. The walls don't seem very tall from here, but most titans wouldn't be tall enough to get passed them. We'll be safe there._

 _Now, we just have to find the humans and convince them to take us in. We can figure out how to help these people from there if we can survive._

 _I slip down from the tree and hug my sister tightly. "We are almost there."_

 _"Really? We are almost safe?" Kiara blinks at me, looking stunned through the mud and dirt covering her. I know I'm not any better, but hopefully we can get a bath soon... and food, sleep, and water._

 _"Yes," I say, glad when she smiles in a way that she hasn't since we were children. I suppose, at ten, we still are children, but it doesn't feel that way._

 _It doesn't take us long to find the people. Kiara follows my lead as we fall to the ground, wandering around like we're lost. I hold onto her hand, wishing desperately to secure a lock on my sister's memories. I know how trusting she is. I know that we need to blend in and that she is a terrible liar and even worse actor. I also want a fresh start for her, one without the memories of our parents looming over her._

 _I watch her as a horse finds us, a bit surprised by the blank look on her face. She had looked so determined a second ago..._

* * *

 _I fake being asleep during the horse ride through the walls. I'm not sure if Erwin, the man riding with us, buys it, but everyone else seems to. I soon figure out the men and women surrounding us are soldiers called scouts. I hear them talk about the walls, Maria and Rose, when we reach them respectively through places called Shinganshina and Trost. I hear them talk about Sina and the capitol while they are trying to figure out what to do with us._

 _I don't trust them. They're mostly adult males. Still, when the horse comes to a halt, I let a man pick me up and carry me. I stay limp in his arms, feigning sleep until Kiara and I are left alone in an office._

* * *

 _I hear Kiara screaming as she falls after me. I try twisting in the air to at least catch her and cushion her fall. Suddenly, I feel my head collide with something. Pain sears through my temple as arms wrap around me. I realize a person has caught me, but I can't even raise my head when water splashes around us. It hurts too much. There's a dull ringing in my ears as I try to lift my head and fail._

 _"Kyori! Are you okay?" I hear Kiara's voice call my name and manage to turn around. Seeing that she is safe all I need at that moment. I don't trust either the man behind my sister who clearly caught her or the man who broke my fall, but my head is hurting too much to protest or struggle._

 _"I'm fine... Kiara," I answer with effort, letting my head rest against the man under me._

* * *

Kyori released Levi and Farlan's hands, her arms folding around herself. She wouldn't meet either man's gaze, keeping her face carefully blank.

In a few seconds, a large body was wrapping around her. She recognized it as Farlan immediately. Kyori dimly heard Levi get up and then the sound of someone throwing up in the bathroom.

"You were very strong for your sister, weren't you?" Farlan mumbled into her hair, rubbing her arms soothingly. Kyori wasn't sure why, but something about the embrace made her break down. She started sobbing for the first time she could remember, staining Farlan's shirt with tears and snot, but he didn't seem to care.

"It's okay... It's all going to be okay," she heard Farlan murmur into her hair. She believed him. Farlan was like an older brother to her; someone she trusted... So was Levi, she realized. Regardless of how he was so creepily stoic, she trusted him. She wouldn't have shown him her past otherwise.

She wasn't sure why she had shown either of them all of that. They had only wanted to know if Kiara had been raped before or not.. But once she had started, she hadn't been able to control it or stop. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

* * *

Levi thoroughly brushed his teeth after vomiting bile. He still felt sick. The memories Kyori had shown them were vivid.

He had felt the moment the ten year old had snapped when seeing her sister raped by their father. He had felt the cold seeping into his bones as he watched Kiara crying with a broken arm. It had been like he was her. Shaking his head to clear it, he walked into his room.

The sight of Kiara curled up on his bed helped him calm down. He sat beside her, brushing his fingers through her uneven hair.

Kyori had offered them plenty of insights, but that had been the farthest thing from what Levi had been expecting. He hadn't expected to see his Kiara being forced to take a dick in her mouth when she was a toddler or to feel it when Kyori had done the same. The very thought of it made him want to puke again.

He was growing suspicious of Kiara's 'feelings' and Kyori's ability to do whatever the fuck that had been. Seeing the injections they had gotten when they were still babies raised many questions in his mind, mostly because Kyori had recalled it as her first memory with perfect clarity.

Kiara stirred, interrupting his thoughts, and she opened eyes that looked tired, but warm and inviting. Levi carefully wrapped his arms around the teenager, hugging her to him. Kiara seemed confused, but shifted slightly in his embrace and hugged him back.

"Kiara..." He couldn't say anything he wanted to. He couldn't give her comfort for something that she didn't even remember- something that he hoped she would never remember.

He felt Kiara's breathing even out after a long moment, the girl falling asleep again propped against his chest. He kissed her hair and temples gently, sighing softly.

"I love you, Kiara," he breathed.

"I hope you realize if you ever hurt her, I will kill you," Kyori said quietly, walking into their room. "You know I'm capable of it."

"I have no doubt you'll try. I don't plan on hurting her though. I'm not your father." Levi looked at the other teen, his eyes dark. "You did well killing those pigs. Hurting you and her like that was unacceptable."

Kyori nodded, laying on her bed tiredly. "I call dibs on sleeping alone for the foreseeable future." It was her way of letting Levi know that she was trusting her sister to him.

Levi nodded once, kissing Kiara's hair again. "We'll tell her of the new sleeping arrangement when she wakes up again."

"Alright... Doing that was exhausting. I'm going to bed..." Kyori sighed, burrowing into her bed tiredly.

* * *

"Levi!" Kiara screamed, her body convulsing in the bed beside him.

Levi and Kyori shot up, both sleep mussed. Kyori looked ready to kill him until she realized he was just as confused as her. Kiara cried out again, struggling in the bed.

"She's having a nightmare," Levi murmured, frowning. "Kiara, wake up."

He shook her slightly until Kiara's eyes snapped open, looking around her wildly before locking onto Levi's face. She clutched him, burying her face in his neck as her mouth moved soundlessly against it, begging him to save her from the rapists.

"You're safe," he murmured, guessing why the young girl was panicking. "We are safe at home. They can't hurt you anymore."

"Kiara, no one's going to hurt you." Her sister sat beside them, stroking her hair. "Just breathe."

Levi intentionally took deep breaths, coaxing Kiara to breathe with him. After a few minutes, Kiara's body slumped against his, her breathing slowing down.

"Do you feel better?" Kyori asked gently, rubbing her back.

Kiara nodded silently, peaking over at her sister. Her eyes were bright with tears that she wouldn't let fall.

"What was your nightmare about? If you talk about it, you might feel better," Kyori suggested, keeping her tone soothingly.

Kiara bit her lip before opening her mouth. No sound passed her lips, despite her mouthing words. Her hand flew to her throat.

"You.. You can't speak?" Levi glanced at Kyori, confusion written on both of their faces. They had just heard Kiara scream Levi's name.

The girl in his arms mouthed something, looking frustrated as she tried to get her voice to come out. She looked desperately between her sister and Levi, biting her lower lip.

Kyori raised her hand to touch Kiara's, but Levi grabbed it, shaking his head. He was damn near certain Kyori was about to attempt sealing Kiara's memories again.

"Why?" Kyori demanded. "She's hurting."

"Not right now. Kiara has already made the resolve to let this make her stronger. Let her try."

Kiara frowned, looking between them. W-H-A-T. She wrote on Levi's shoulder.

"Its nothing, brat," Levi murmured, rocking the teenager absently.

"What?" Kyori frowned.

"Kiara just asked the same thing. She wrote it on my shoulder."

"So, is that how we are supposed to communicate with my sister now? Through writing?" Kyori hissed, not understanding why Levi wouldn't let her just erase the incident from Kiara's head.

Levi looked at Kyori darkly, telling her to be quiet for a moment because Kiara was looking between them like she was hurt. He could guess it was because Kyori was frustrated and making it seem like Kiara was to blame for her lack of speech.

"Kiara.. I have a hypothetical question for you. Do you think you can answer me in writing or gestures?" he asked, turning her head to look up at him.

Kiara's eyes met his before she nodded once.

"If we could erase the memory of the assault, would you want us too?" he murmured, trailing his fingers over her cheek lightly.

Kiara blinked up at him, her head tilting into his hand subconsciously. Every ache and pain brought back the memories of being raped, of being violated... But would she want the memories gone?

Kiara held up a finger, indicating she needed a moment to think. She had made a promise to herself to become stronger. She wanted to destroy her weakness, but she couldn't do that without knowing what her weakness was. Kiara wanted to believe that she could live with that painful memory and grow stronger from it. She wanted to believe that if she kept her memories of the assault, she could overcome it and it wouldn't bother her anymore one day. She just had to be strong and brave.. and that day would come. Besides... Was there really a memory worth forgetting? She had come to cherish all of her memories after getting amnesia.

Slowly, she shook her head. She wouldn't want her memories erased. She wanted to fight and become stronger.

Levi pressed his lips to her forehead absently, holding Kiara tightly to him. "So, you want to remember it."

At Kiara's nod, Levi gave Kyori a look. Kyori looked hesitant, but she nodded. She wouldn't seal her sister's memories if Kiara wanted them, regardless of how badly she hated to see her sister suffer.

"I think you should tell her," Levi murmured as Kiara nuzzled into him, looking up at Kyori, "not in details, but just what you did."

"Are you insane?" Kyori growled, catching on immediately.

"I think that what you did was for the best, but Kiara has a right to know what you did."

Kiara raised her head, her brow furrowed. Her eyes met her sister's, searching for answers.

Kyori shot Levi a murderous look, but took her sister's hand in hers tightly. She knew Kiara wouldn't let this go now that she had heard Levi talk about it. It was best to get it over with.

"Kiara, I'm the reason you have amnesia," she said tightly, her body tense. "I didn't mean to do it, but I sealed your memories of our lives before coming to the walls."

Kiara's eyebrows shot up, not from the revelation, but because Kyori had made it a point to never mention that they were from outside the walls and now she just had in front of someone else. She glanced at Levi before turning her attention back to her sister.

W-H-Y. She wrote on her sister's hand slowly, letting her sister have time to figure out what the word was.

"I'm not sure. I just remember thinking you were a terrible liar and actor and wanting to erase our lives from before so we could make new lives here. I didn't tell you because I don't want you to remember our lives from before." Kyori frowned, watching her sister carefully. Kiara didn't seem upset, but she didn't seem happy either.

W-H-Y. N-O-T.

"Our lives before were shitty, Kiara. Suffice it to say that it's not worth remembering. Please, trust me on that."

Kiara frowned before sighing. She nodded her head once. Kyori seemed desperate to convince her to agree, so she would. She wasn't happy with her, but she would deal with it.

T-H-I-R-S-T-Y. She wrote on her sister's hand, wanting to be alone so she could think. It was one of the nice things about being with Levi. They could sit in silence for hours and feel comfortable.. She could do the same with Kyori usually, but she was sure Kyori would talk more... She often was chatty when she was worried about something.

"Are you hungry too?" Kyori asked, not looking happy.

Kiara nodded slightly. She was hungry and wasn't sure when she had last ate. Kyori preparing a meal would give her more time alone as well.

"Get her soup. I don't know how well her throat will handle solid foods yet," Levi instructed, glancing at Kyori.

Kyori nodded, kissing her sister's hair before leaving.

Kiara shifted so she was sitting on Levi's lap, her face buried in his neck. She wanted to be comforted and held right now. Too many things were going through her mind.

"I've got you," he murmured, rubbing her shoulders gently. Kiara pressed closer to him, ignoring the pain in her bottom. She hoped that he would just comfort her silently for now.

"Kiara.. Are you okay with sleeping with me from now on?"

Kiara jerked back, flinching at the sudden movement, but she didn't care about the pain. All thoughts of silent comfort were gone temporarily. W-H-A-T.

"Kyori made the request to sleep alone. It would be easier for you to share my bed rather than find another mattress," he half-lied, placing his hands firmly on her hips to stop her moving around.

Kiara looked up at him confused, almost hurt. Why would Kyori request to sleep alone? They had been sleeping together since they were children.

"I would.. Like it if you shared my bed," he said carefully, "I think Kyori is just growing more independent."

Kiara looked hesitant, but nodded slowly. She wouldn't mind sleeping with Levi even if he did only sleep a few hours each night, if at all. He felt nice and cool against her warmer body. She could understand if Kyori was growing more independent too... Even if this was the first she had heard of it.

Levi pet her hair and sighed softly, glad that she had agreed to the arrangement. He knew damn well that Kyori was aware of his feelings and Kiara must feel the same way if Kyori had given them her blessing in such a way... He also knew that Kyori was testing him as well, seeing if he would take advantage of Kiara. He was determined to pass the test.

* * *

Over the next couple of weeks, Kiara's body slowly healed under the careful care of her family. She was never left alone in case she needed to be carried to the bathroom or needed water. It took her most of those weeks to heal enough to walk from the pain in her bottom.

When she could finally walk again, she was close to crying with relief. She hated feeling weak and needing to be carried everywhere.

It was hardest when her and Isabel were alone together. Kiara loved her, but Isabel had never learned to read and write, so she couldn't understand Kiara most of the time.

"Kiara, your hair is so uneven," Isabel sighed as Kiara curled up on her lap, her fingers playing with her hair. "Don't you want it cut?"

Kiara paused, her arms wrapped around Isabel's neck, before nodding. She did want it cut. Every time she saw herself in the mirror, the uneven locks reminded her of why she had cut it. It wasn't a nice reminder.

"I'll cut it if you want me too," Levi said from the kitchen where he was dusting.

Kiara nodded again, nuzzling against Isabel.

"We should do it before dinner. How do you want it cut?" Levi asked, offering her his hand as he walked over to the girls.

Kiara took it, her indigo eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Finally, she shrugged. S-H-O-R-T. She didn't care beyond that.

Levi nodded and straightened. "I'll get the scissors."

Kiara stood up, touching her hair and biting her lip. She followed Levi outside, sitting on the stairs that lead up to the front door.

Kiara closed her eyes as Levi cut her hair carefully. She had loved her long hair, but it was gone now. She felt the last of her hair falling with the slow snip of the scissors. Every now and then, she felt Levi's fingers brush over her face and shoulders, removing stray hairs.

"Are you feeling alright?"

She nodded, it was a sad process, but one she could deal with. When she felt Levi put down the scissors, she opened her eyes. Kiara tilted her head, meeting Levi's eyes as his fingers brushing through her hair.

"This.. Suits you," he murmured, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Your long hair suited you, but this will too until it grows out."

Kiara blushed faintly and took his hand. T-H-A-N-K-S.

"Do you want to see it?"

Kiara smiled and nodded curiously, dragging Levi back inside.

"Cute!" Isabel commented, grinning at Kiara as they passed her. Kiara smiled brightly, excited to see what it looked like.

Levi rolled his eyes and let himself be lead to the bathroom. He watched Kiara stop in front of the mirror. He would never say it aloud, but he agreed with Isabel; the short haircut did make her look cute.

Levi had cut most of Kiara's hair until it was just a couple inches short, except the front of her hair. He had left it long enough to brush over her eyebrows in a side sweep. It looked adorable with her high cheekbones and heart shaped face.

Kiara turned to him and smiled gratefully, hugging him. He let his lips brush lightly over her hair.

"What are you two doing?" Farlan asked, peaking into the bathroom.

"Kiara was looking at her haircut." Levi shrugged, stepping away from her.

"It looks good." Farlan smiled and tousled her hair, making her pout.

Kiara rolled her eyes and fixed her hair before flouncing into her bedroom where Kyori was practicing her ocarina.

Kiara still didn't understand why her sister wanted to sleep alone, but she hadn't pressed the issue. She was glad that to be sleeping Levi now, though it had been strange at first. Levi was taller than Kyori, his body temperature was a lot cooler, he was firmer too- more muscular. He didn't sleep on his side facing her either. He slept on his back, letting her use his arm as a pillow as it wrapped around her.

Kyori finished her song, watching Kiara with amused eyes. "Nice haircut. Levi?"

Kiara nodded, sitting beside her and fidgeting.

"Something on your mind?"

Kiara held out her hand. When Kyori's hand found hers, Kiara started to trace letters on her wrist.

L-E-A-R-N. F-I-G-H-T-I-N-G.

Kyori watched her sister closely, her head tilting. "You mean against humans, don't you?" She finally asked.

Kiara nodded again, shifting slightly.

"I don't know how well I can teach you that." Kyori sighed. She had only fought against her parents that one time and it hadn't been much of a fight.

L-E-V-I. F-A-R-L-A-N.

"Oh..." Kyori's eyebrows raised almost comically. "That could be a good idea. We should both learn hand to hand combat. I'll ask Levi and Farlan later."

Kiara sighed with relief and smiled up at her sister.

"Ask me what?" Levi raised an eyebrow, walking in for a fresh shirt that wasn't covered in red hair.

"Kiara and I want you and Farlan to teach us hand to hand combat." Kyori shrugged as her sister bit her lip.

Levi looked at them wearily, his arms folding. "I'll teach you, but I'm not going to go easy on either of you. It will be painful and harsh."

"You already know we can handle that," Kyori answered meaningfully


	5. Beautiful Times

AN: Get ready for tons of fluff and humor.

* * *

 _"I fought all through the night, but I made it alive. The sun's started to rise. These are beautiful times." -Owl City_

Kiara gasped in pain as she failed to dodge a kick from Levi. She managed to stay on her feet and dodge his fist, but just barely.

Levi had kept his word to train the girls ruthlessly. The next half a year had been spent on training the twins in hand to hand combat. At the beginning, both girls had ended up so bruised they had hardly been able to move, but Levi and Farlan had kept training them whenever they had time to spare.

Kiara frowned, blocking a punch and jumping back from Levi. "Don't just block. You have to follow up," Levi reprimanded her for what had to be the hundredth time.

Kiara pulled a face. She didn't like the idea of hurting Levi or Farlan even now after six months. She jumped to avoid having her legs swept out from under her, landing on the clothesline. She balanced on it, frowning down at Levi from where she was perched.

"At least she's flexible and has incredible balance," Farlan noted, barely avoiding Kyori's fist. Kyori, unlike her sister, had no qualms about hurting her partner when she could manage it.

Kiara sent a pout at her brother and sighed, leaping down and tackling Levi with her knees to his shoulders. He landed on his back with a soft grunt, his hands finding her hips to steady her. Kiara smirked in triumph, glad that she had finally put Levi on his back.

"That was good, but you can't just evade and block. You really have to put aside your hesitation about hurting us and fight, Kiara." Levi waited for her to let him up and brushed dirt out of his hair. "Any enemy, whether they're human traffickers or rapists or just thugs, will not hesitate to harm you. It's either fight or die... or something much worse. We can't hone your fighting skills if you won't fight."

Kiara sighed, sticking her tongue out at Levi before nodding. She would work on it.

"Time for dinner," Isabel called.

Just not right now.

* * *

Kiara tugged on Isabel's sleeve.

Levi and Farlan were out teaching Kyori how to use 3DMG. Kiara had refused to learn it. It made her feel sick just being carried while someone used 3DMG. She would stick to her parkour as Farlan called it... but with everyone else out, it gave her the perfect opportunity to ask Isabel for advice she had been wondering about for a little while.

"Yes?" Isabel tilted her head, looking down at Kiara from where she was washing dishes.

Kiara carefully started tracing letters on Isabel's arm. Farlan and Kyori had been teaching Isabel to read and write, but it took longer for her to understand her.

C-A-N. Y-O-U. T-E-A-C-H. S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G.

Isabel frowned slightly, paying close attention to Kiara's finger moving on her shoulder. "You want me to teach you something?"

The sixteen year old nodded.

"Alright. What is it?"

K-I-S-S.

"Kissing? Really? Shouldn't you ask Levi to teach you that?" Isabel's eyebrows shot up as a grin played on her lips.

H-E. W-I-L-L. N-O-T. Y-E-T.

"Yet?" Isabel giggled.

8\. Y-E-A-R-S.

"He's waiting that long? Hell, he has a ton of patience... Let me guess, you want to know what you're doing before you start dating." Isabel bit her lip to stop herself from laughing at Kiara's blush and nod. "Alright. I'll teach you."

Isabel gently backed Kiara against the counter before dipping her head and pressing their lips together.

Kiara blinked once before letting her eyes fall closed. This wasn't what she had in mind, but it was nice. Isabel's lips were much softer than Levi's from what she could remember. They didn't incite that same tingle she felt with Levi, but they still made her feel warm and pleasant.

"Move your lips with mine, alright? Try wrapping your arms around my neck," Isabel murmured against her lips.

Kiara tilted her head to the side curiously as she slipped her arms around Isabel. She hesitantly moved her lips against hers, letting Isabel guide her. The kiss was slow, Isabel's lips slipping over hers with practiced movements until Kiara caught on enough to match Isabel's pace.

"Now, try this." Isabel drew Kiara's lower lip into her mouth and sucked on it before biting it gently. Kiara nearly melted at the pleasurable feeling, glad that Isabel had her pressed against the counter. Her legs felt weak. She felt Isabel's tongue brush over the bite. Her fingers clutched at Isabel's shirt, trying to draw the older teen closer to her.

"Your turn, Kiara," Isabel breathed. "Try breathing through your nose so you don't have to break the kiss. You look like you'll pass out."

Kiara panted, catching her breath, and nodded before mimicking Isabel's actions. She was a lot clumsier than Isabel, but she felt Isabel moan into her mouth when she ran her tongue over her lower lip.

"That was good. One more time, bite a little harder."

Kiara drew Isabel's lip into her mouth again and sucked on it lightly before raking her teeth along it. Isabel groaned louder and kissed her harder, slipping her tongue into her mouth.

Unsure of what do with Isabel's tongue, Kiara suckled on the muscle like she had done to Isabel's lip. Judging by the way Isabel arched against her and moaned, she had done something right.

Kiara let Isabel's tongue move against hers in slow exploratory movements, shivering slightly. It felt better than she had thought something like this would. The thought of having someone else's tongue in her mouth sounded so unhygienic... but Isabel's tongue was making her heart race in excitement.

Kiara tentatively rubbed her tongue against Isabel's, copying the other woman. Isabel pulled back a little and flicked the tip of her tongue over Kiara's teasingly, making the younger teen inhale sharply.

"Very good... You catch on fast."

Isabel's lips moved down her jaw to her neck and Kiara arched against her hard, desperately clinging to Isabel to stay upright. Isabel smirked against Kiara's damp skin.

"Your neck is sensitive, huh?" she giggled. "Try kissing my neck like this, too."

Kiara nodded breathlessly, feeling heat pool in her lower stomach as mouthed at Isabel's neck. She felt Isabel's breath hitch as she mimicked each nip of teeth and every flick of her tongue. Her lips trailed up to Isabel's earlobe and nipped it lightly as she squirmed against her.

"Hey, Isabel, Kyori is going to need you to coo-" Farlan paused, his eyebrows shooting up as he saw the two redheads making out in the kitchen. "Did I... miss something?"

"Kiara wanted me to teach her how to kiss." Isabel grinned at her boyfriend, panting slightly as she pulled away from the younger girl.

"Kiara asked you.." Farlan's eyes flicked to Kiara who looked just as breathless as Isabel. "Did you ever think she meant you to tell her what to do? I mean, when you told her what kissing was, you said it was for people in love."

Isabel blinked and glanced at Kiara. "Is that what you meant?" she asked surprise. When Kiara nodded and shrugged, because she wasn't complaining, Isabel pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I guess that would make sense... You're older now, so I guess I can tell you that you don't have to be in love to kiss. It's just a bonus if you are. Mostly it's an attraction thing."

Kiara swallowed, a bit dazed from the kiss still. She listened to Isabel with furrowed eyebrows before nodding her understanding. It made sense to her. That kiss had been amazing despite the fact that she was in love with Levi and not Isabel... though now she felt like fire was raging in her blood and all she wanted was to do the same with Levi.

Of course, she couldn't- not until she was twenty-four. Eight years seemed way too long right now.

* * *

Throughout dinner and the Farlan's story, Kiara couldn't sit still. She kept squirming in her seat.

"Is something wrong?" Isabel smirked, knowing full well that Kiara was aroused because she was in the same boat. The only differences were Isabel knew what was going on and she could seduce her lover.

Kiara tilted her head, shrugging helplessly. She had no idea how to even phrase what was going on.

Levi and Farlan looked at Kiara confused. Isabel leaned over and whispered in Farlan's ear. Farlan raised his eyebrow before shaking his head.

"What's going on?" Levi looked between the two, his eyebrows drawn together. He fended off Kiara's hand, knowing full well she wanted to poke him and complain about him scowling.

"Nothing. Just... You're going to have an interesting night." Farlan kept his face carefully blank. "Try not to be tempted too strongly."

"What?" Levi frowned as Kiara stood up to go to the bathroom.

She felt weird. She was too hot and felt like she was bleeding, but she wasn't as she found out when she went to take care of it. Instead of blood, she found something clear and slippery.

Kiara blinked, but cleaned it up as best as she could before she got ready for bed. Maybe she would feel better in the morning.

She threw on a too big shirt and clean underwear after she was in her room. Kyori was already passed out. Levi and Farlan had trained her hard apparently. Kyori had fallen into bed as soon as they had gotten home.

Kiara glanced at her sister as she climbed into bed, curling up on her side. She sighed softly, closing her eyes.

She felt the bed sink beside her after a long moment. Kiara lifted her head automatically, letting Levi's arm snake under her neck. She curled into him, throwing her leg over his.

"Tired?"

Kiara shrugged. She didn't feel tired, but wanted the strange feeling to go away. If she slept, she was hoping it would.

Shifting her hips, she buried her face in Levi's neck, pouting slightly. She felt restless and couldn't keep still. It didn't help that Levi's fingers were tracing patterns on her back. What should have been soothing was sending fire through her.

"Are you okay?" Levi finally asked quietly after several minutes of Kiara squirming beside him.

H-O-T.

Levi raised an eyebrow, feeling her forehead. "You don't have a fever."

Kiara shook her head and rolled onto her back, grabbing Levi's hand. She placed it on her lower abdomen, shivering slightly at the touch.

Levi blinked several times, his hand splaying over her shirt automatically. "It feels hot here? Are you bleeding?"

Kiara shook her head, her lower lip between her teeth.

F-E-E-L-S. W-E-I-R-D.

"Weird how?"

S-L-I-P-P-E-R-Y. She wrote after a long moment. She had no other word to describe it.

Levi stared down at Kiara for a long moment before it clicked in his head that the sixteen year old was aroused, probably for the first time in her life.

"You're going to have an interesting night."

Isabel had known about this and told Farlan. He was going to kill both of them.

"How long have you been feeling like this?" he asked slightly tense, meeting her eyes.

B-E-F-O-R-E. D-I-N-N-E-R.

That explained why she kept squirming about while she ate and during Farlan's story. Yes, Isabel had definitely known what was going on.

Levi sighed, unsure of what to do. He could just let her sleep it off, but she didn't seem very tired. She obviously needed relief, but he doubted she even knew what masturbation was.

"Do you want me to make it go away?" he finally breathed, barely audible. "I'm only going to help this time though and I'll make sure you feel good... But it's a sexual act, is that okay?"

Kiara's eyes met his, her heart racing. Sexual act... That's what people who were in love did according to what Levi and Farlan had told her. Maybe that meant her feelings had reached Levi finally. Yes, they had kissed two years ago, but she still wasn't sure he had understood her. Kiara met his steel blue eyes as she nodded her head once, her heart racing in her chest.

Levi kissed her forehead. He could keep this from going too far. It was only this once... just to teach Kiara how to handle these situations in the future. He rolled onto his side, keeping his arm propped under her head.

Kiara buried her face in his neck as she felt his hand move her night shirt out of the way, blushing darkly. Her arms slid around Levi's shoulders, holding him closer. She wasn't sure what to expect.. From what she knew sex hurt, but she trusted him. Levi had said he would make her feel good.

H-A-V-I-N-G. S-E-X.

She wanted to know now, to prepare herself. Levi jerked his head up and looked down at her, seeing the question in her eyes.

"Not quite... I'm just going to touch you, okay?" he answered gently, his fingers tracing over her legs.

That was a little disappointing, but Kiara felt more relieved. She didn't want to be in pain. She needed time to prepare herself for having sex.

P-L-E-A-S-E.

"Tap my shoulder if you want me to stop." Levi brushed his lips over her temple.

She shivered as she felt his fingers creep farther up her leg until they reached her underwear. Kiara lifted her hips as she felt his fingers tug on them gently, letting Levi pull them down.

Kiara kicked the clothing off once it reached her ankles, pulling back enough to look up at Levi as his fingers ghosted up her inner thighs. Kiara shivered as her legs fell open under his soft touch.

"Try to be quiet." When Kiara gave him a look, he rolled his eyes. "I mean your breathing and moving around. We don't want Kyori to wake up."

Kiara nodded, understanding. She wasn't quite sure what her sister would do if she woke up and saw them right now.

"What you are feeling is arousal, it's natural... I'm going to teach you how to deal with it in the future. That's all... So pay close attention to what I do, alright? You can do it to yourself if you feel like this again."

Kiara blushed. She was glad she had some idea of what was going on now even if she hadn't felt this way before. Keeping her eyes on Levi's face, she nodded once.

Levi carefully kept his gaze glued to Kiara's overly bright eyes, knowing that if he watched what he was about to do, lust might get the better of him and he was only teaching Kiara what to do. He had to hold onto that. She was too young and innocent for anything else. He slipped his fingers up her thighs until they brushed over her slick center.

He bit back a curse, feeling his own arousal spike, but refused to acknowledge it further. Kiara's eyes fell closed, arching against him as pleasure curled through her.

Her face buried into his neck again, mouthing his name as she felt his fingers mapping her. It didn't take him long to find her little bundle of nerves. He gently circled it before flickering his finger over it lightly.

For the first and only time, he was glad Kiara had become mute. The teenager probably would have been quite vocal going by the way her hips started rolling shamelessly... Even if he wished he could hear those cries of pleasure and the sound of her screaming his name.

He barely kept himself in check as he felt her body tensing under him. Kiara threw her head back, breathing quickly, as she trembled under him. It wouldn't be long until she came undone and he knew it.

Levi moved his finger a little more urgently as he watched her face, completely fascinated by the way it contorted in pleasure. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her perfect lips parted. Levi wanted desperately to kiss those lips. He let himself drop his head to her throat instead, kissing and nipping at the skin above her rapid pulse.

Kiara's trembling stilled for a brief second before her legs clamped around his hand. She started grinding against his finger with short jerky movements. He hadn't realized her neck was so sensitive, but he would remember that for later use when Kiara turned twenty-four... if she still wanted this -and him- then. Levi helped her ride her orgasm out before gently pulling his hand away.

"Feel better?" He asked huskily, raising his head to meet her now exhausted dark eyes. She would be out like a light soon enough.

Kiara nodded, breathing hard as she nuzzled into him tiredly. She covered in a light sheen of sweat.

I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E.

"Good... I'll be right back." Levi kissed her temple before getting up. He had his own problem he had to take care of now.

Kiara blinked, tilting her head, but nodded, wishing that she had had the presence of mind to have touched him too, but she doubted he would have let her anyways.

It would only be eight more years until they could be together, but she felt certain that Levi returned her feelings now.. and it was with a smile on her lips that she pulled on her underwear again and fell asleep.

* * *

"Move faster," Farlan ordered as Kiara climbed the back of their house. "If you're going to keep up, you'll need to be faster than any of us."

The teenager glanced down at the brunet and sighed before pulling herself up faster, sweat beading on her forehead. Parkour was one of her few real talents even though she couldn't remember actually learning it. Her body remembered what to do, but she was out of practice. Levi and Farlan were taking turns teaching Kyori how to use 3DMG and Kiara how to use her parkour to keep up with them.

After much arguing between Kyori and Levi and Kiara, it had been decided that Kiara and Kyori would join the rest of their family in their missions. Those missions consisted of stealing mostly... Along with dealing with other criminals and human traffickers.

Levi had been fine with Kyori joining them. Kyori could be just as ruthless as him. When Kiara had written on Levi that she wanted to help too.. He and Kyori had been less than pleased. Kiara might have learned to fight well enough to match her sister and Farlan, but she was naive and kind. Levi hadn't wanted Kiara to lose that. Kyori had simply not wanted her sister in any danger.

Kiara had insisted for weeks though until Levi had finally caved with the condition she either learn how to use 3DMG or learn parkour from Farlan.

Kiara grit her teeth, hoping Kyori's training was going better, and pulled herself up onto the roof.

"That was your fastest time yet, but you still have to be faster," Farlan called. "Come down. You'll balance on the clothesline next before we go on a run."

Kiara nodded, wiping the sweat off her face with a cloth before jumping off the roof. She landed next to Farlan, staggering slightly. Farlan grabbed her arm and steadied her, smiling at her with kind blue eyes.

"Good job. You're progressing well."

Kiara returned the smile and quickly pulled herself up onto the clothesline. Balancing was something she was extremely good at. She carefully stood up on the line, balancing herself easily.

"Try walking."

Kiara's mouth fell open. She had never walked on the line before. It was incredibly wobbly and, suddenly, she didn't feel so confident. Farlan was beneath her though and she knew he would catch her if she screwed up.

Taking a deep breath, she balanced her weight and lifted one foot. The line wobbled slightly, but her body automatically adjusted to it. She smiled slightly and took a small step. This was easy.

Kiara took a few more steps, glad that she had found something that had come naturally to her. She sent a grin at Farlan and spun around on the line like she was dancing.

"Oi! Be careful up there, brat!" Levi and Kyori landed next to Farlan.

Kiara jumped in surprise, but smiled over at Levi. She was fine. This was something she knew she could do. Kiara jumped and flipped through the air. She caught the line in her hands as she somersaulted through the air and spun on it before landing on her feet.

"Kiara's best skill was gymnastics before we came here," Kyori said, tilting her head as Kiara's lips curved into a brilliant smile.

"Gymnastics?" Farlan raised his eyebrows.

"It's a type of sport involving balance, flexibility, precision, and agility among other things. It's a big contributor to parkour in my opinion." Kyori shrugged. "Kiara was always more skilled in physical things and I was better at book learning. I guess Kiara is using muscle memory at this point."

Kiara tilted her head curiously before taking Farlan's hand with a shrug. That would explain a lot. Farlan and Levi hadn't had to teach her parkour so much as help her get faster and stronger.

R-U-N. She looked up at Farlan questioningly.

"Yeah. We still have time before dinner. Lets work on your speed." Farlan grinned and ruffled Kiara's short hair before turning to Levi and Kyori. "We're going on a run."

"Take care." Kyori snorted, pulling off her gear.

"Go with them. You should keep up on your endurance and speed as well." Levi arched an eyebrow, folding his arms.

Kyori glared at him before rolling her eyes and huffing. "Fine," she grumbled. She was sore from being in the air all day, but she did love running.

* * *

Kiara held onto Farlan's hand as they walked through the market. At seventeen, she and Kyori still hadn't grown much. They were an inch shy of five feet tall and neither twin had any hope for growing more.

Kiara purposely stumbled into a merchant who was much taller than her. She looked up at him apologetically from under her lashes.

Something Farlan and Levi had decided was that she should use her looks and inability to speak to her advantage whenever she possibly could on missions. Kiara and Kyori had become beautiful young women, only lacking in curves. The most striking thing about them was their eyes. The violet in the blue had become slightly more pronounced over the years. Kiara's gaze still looked like a child's, innocent and kind. Hopefully, that coupled with the fact that she was mute would make her seem even more nonthreatening.

"Watch out," the man snapped before looking down at the small woman who was biting her lip nervously. His breath seemed to catch in his throat.

"I'm sorry, my sister is a mute and clumsy," Farlan rubbed the back off his head as Kiara gazed up into the man's brown eyes.

She had been trained in so many things. Fighting, parkour, escape, stealth... but this was the hardest task yet. Lying and acting. Kiara just couldn't bring herself to lie, but being a mute, she didn't really need to. She just had to act...

Kiara let go of Farlan's hand and brushed ivory fingers over the man's shirt where she had bumped him, schooling her lips into a small pout. She had to distract him. That was all.

"It..it's fine," the man said, staring down at the girl with wide eyes.

Farlan took Kiara's hand again. "Thanks, sir." He quickly tugged Kiara away as he saw a trail of red hair disappear around a corner.

Kiara gave a small curtsey to the man, raising her skirt slightly, before letting Farlan drag her off.

G-O-O-D. She looked up at Farlan questioningly.

"You did very well. Practicing your acting on Levi is really paying off."

Kiara huffed a soundless laugh. She and Farlan had decided secretly to start acting with Levi. It had been amusing when she had finally succeeded in tricking him. Levi had made a teasing remark about her lack of acting skills and Kiara had started to cry... Well, she had faked it and Levi had bought it much to the amusement of everyone.

Her eyes fell on a tea set in another merchant's stall. It was a nice set, delicate and fine in a silk lined box. It reminded her of Levi with silver and black accents on the porcelain.

She tugged on Farlan's hand, getting the blond's attention, before pointing at the set.

L-E-V-I. G-I-F-T.

Farlan looked over at the set, a frown playing on his lips. He could see why Kiara had thought of Levi. The man would live off tea if he could... But it was clearly expensive. On the other hand, it was going to be Levi's birthday next week and they rarely got to get each other gifts. After a short moment, he met Kiara's eyes.

"It's out of our budget," Farlan murmured, "so we'll have to go about this carefully. It's your turn."

Kiara swallowed nervously. She wasn't sure if she could pull off stealing yet, but she really wanted to give Levi the tea set. Stealing her resolve, Kiara nodded.

"Isabel and Levi will be here soon. Do it then," he murmured, leading Kiara a little ways up the street.

Kiara bought some herbs and tea leaves, intending on making them tea with the set if she could acquire it.

Farlan sent her a smile as two blurs moved past them, knocking over crates of fruits and vegetables and dishes. Kiara smiled back before running quickly toward the vendor with the tea set.

The merchant was distracted by the commotion. Kiara slipped behind him, taking the tea set and the box it was in before darting down an alley. She dimly heard shouting behind her, but she didn't slow down.

"Kiara?! What are you doing?!" Kyori hissed, landing beside her sister and taking the box. "Get on my back!"

Kiara quickly scrambled onto her back, feeling her gut wrench as they soared through the air. She could never get used to 3DMG.

They arrived home before the others and Kiara quickly took the tea set, opening the box to ensure nothing was broken. She sighed with relief when she saw everything was intact in the silk lined box.

"Kiara, what is that?" Kyori asked, frowning as Kiara closed the box and rushed into Farlan and Isabel's room. She hid the box under their bed, knowing Levi rarely cleaned their room.

She went back to the living room smiling widely at her sister.

"Will you tell me what's going on? You almost got caught." Kyori folded her arms.

Kiara tilted her head before taking her sister's hand and tracing letters on her wrist.

B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y. G-I-F-T. L-E-V-I.

Kyori raised an eyebrow. They rarely stole for things like that. They only stole money and food usually.. or things that could be sold easily.

"I see... You should have been more careful though. I can't believe you stole something that expensive your first time. Talk about daring." Kyori frowned. "Don't do it again. Stick to the plan."

F-A-R-L-A-N. M-E. I-M-P-R-O-V-I-S-E-D.

Kyori rolled her eyes. Farlan and Kiara do something like that. "Well, at least we got a good haul from the merchant you flirted with. You're lucky Levi didn't see the eyes you were making at that man."

Kiara flushed, a pout on her lips. W-H-A-T.

"Levi would have been jealous." Kyori shrugged, ruffling Kiara's hair. "You did well though."

* * *

H-A-P-P-Y. B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y.

Levi blinked down at the half-awake girl still cuddling against him. He ran his fingers through her hair gently and down her neck.

"Good morning," he answered, rubbing her shoulders.

Kiara smiled, sitting up. G-E-T. U-P.

"Already? Don't you like to lay in bed for hours after you wake up?" he teased lightly, sitting up as well.

W-A-K-E. K-Y-O-R-I.

Kiara stuck her tongue out at him and climbed out of bed, quickly changing into a dove gray skirt and white blouse. She winked at Levi, who had looked away while she had changed, and flounced into her siblings' room.

"Kiara?" Isabel sat up tiredly as Kiara burst in, blinking at her from the bed.

B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y. Kiara bounced on her feet excitedly. It had taken all of her willpower to not give Levi his gift all week.

"It is, isn't it?" Isabel stretched and prodded Farlan awake. "It's Levi's birthday and Kiara's about to explode."

Farlan blinked up at her tiredly before pulling Isabel into a kiss. "We need to make breakfast," he grumbled.

"First, brush your teeth. Morning breath is gross." Isabel wrinkled her nose, getting out of the bed.

Kiara shook her head before diving under their bed to retrieve the box she had stored there.

"Are you still making tea then?" Farlan asked, stretching his muscles.

Kiara nodded and grinned lopsidedly. She wasn't as good at making tea as Levi and Isabel, but she could do it now without burning the house down.

She let Farlan and Isabel get dressed as she quickly brushed her teeth and combed her short hair. After she was completely ready for the day, she brought the box into the kitchen and set water on the stove to boil.

"What's in the box?" Levi asked, leaning against the counter and offering his hand to Kiara.

N-O-T. Y-E-T.

"Is it for me?" Levi's eyebrows shot up, growing more curious.

Kiara nodded, smiling up at him excitedly. Levi blinked several times as the rest of their family joined them in the kitchen.

"Happy birthday, Levi." Farlan grinned as Levi frowned. "Now, get out of the kitchen. Isabel and I are making breakfast."

"Why are you all so happy?" Levi folded his arms as Kyori shot him a cranky look. She wasn't happy about being woken up so early.

"It's your birthday, big bro," Isabel yawned, hugging him. "How does it feel to be twenty-three?"

"The same as it felt to be twenty-two." Levi rolled his eyes. "We never celebrate birthdays. Why are we today of all days?"

"Because Kiara and Farlan got excited when they saw your present." Kyori sat at the table and buried her face in her arms, still tired. "Blame those two."

Levi arched an eyebrow and looked between Farlan and Kiara. "It would be you."

O-P-E-N. I-T. Kiara smiled up at him, gesturing to the box.

Levi looked between Kiara and Farlan suspiciously before he sighed and lifted the lid to the box. His eyebrows shot up as he stared at the fragile tea set before he gently lifted the teapot to examine it carefully.

"Farlan... Explain," he murmured, turning the pot in his hands.

"Kiara's first mission. She saw that tea set before the disturbance you caused, so we improvised a plan to acquire it." Farlan shrugged. "Kiara grabbed it during the commotion."

Levi turned to Kiara, his eyes narrowed. "That was dangerous. You could have been caught."

Kiara smiled carelessly and kissed his cheek before taking the teapot and carefully filling it with the hot water. She meticulously started to make a black tea she knew Levi enjoyed with tea leaves and herbs she had bought.

Once the tea was seeping, she drew the number five on Farlan's wrist and tugged Levi out of the kitchen.

Levi frowned, but he didn't mind it when Kiara sat beside him and started tracing idly on his wrist. He felt his anger melting away. Kiara had done something incredibly foolish and risky, but the happy look on her face made it impossible to be mad.

"You still shouldn't have done it, but thank you..." he muttered. "I like it."

F-R-O-M. E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E.

"I'll thank them later." Levi tugged gently on a lock of her hair. "Was it your idea to actually celebrate?"

Kiara shook her head. I-S-A-B-E-L. F-A-R-L-A-N.

"That sounds like them." Levi rolled his eyes, a faint smile tugging on his lips. "Why go through so much trouble?"

W-E. L-O-V-E. Y-O-U.

Kiara smiled up at him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before he could protest.

"It's been five minutes," Farlan called.

Kiara jumped to her feet quickly and went to check on the tea, glancing over her shoulder at Levi's stunned expression. It was nice when the blank expression he usually wore gave way into something new. Kiara cherished those moments.

Once breakfast was ready, Kyori set the table still half asleep. She laid out the tea cups in saucers and placed the teapot in the center of the table. Hopefully, Kiara had brewed the tea strong. She hated waking up early and preferred coffee to tea, but she was confident she would be able to nap after breakfast. Kiara had woken everyone up before sunrise, the impatient little shit she was.

Farlan set the veggie filled omelets on the plates with sliced up apples as Kiara poured the tea for her family.

"I don't even know when any of your birthdays are," Levi grumbled, slouching in his chair at the table as he picked up his fork.

"April eighth," Farlan answered, looking unconcerned. Isabel burned her tongue on her tea and covered mouth, nudging Farlan. "Isabel's is November sixth," he added for her.

Levi raised an eyebrow and turned to Kyori. "Okay, so how about you two?"

"February thirtieth," Kyori said with a straight face. When Kiara kicked her under the table, she rolled her eyes. "Fine... May twenty-ninth."

Levi blinked, staring at Kiara and Kyori. Something about that day seemed important. He picked up his tea cup, staring at the hot golden liquid. Then, it hit him. That was the day Kiara had been raped three and a half years ago.

Suddenly, the cup broke off the handle, sending the fragile cup to his lap and then to the floor. His eyes widened as the cup shattered, staring the pieces of the cup horror-struck. "Shit," he hissed, standing up and trying to clean the hot liquid burning his leg off.

Kiara jumped up and rushed to the bathroom, grabbing a few towels. She went back to the kitchen and handed Levi one of the towels before starting to clean up the mess.

"Are you okay?" Farlan asked quietly, assuming Levi was upset from the revelation of the twins' birthday. He had caught on as well and he wasn't happy with the information.

Levi nodded sharply before he ducked under the table to help Kiara pick up the broken pieces of the cup. The cup that he had broken... By picking it up. Shit. He had really liked that cup.. And his family had just given it to him.

He paused when he noticed dark red droplets on the floor, the same color as Kiara's hair.

He cursed inwardly and grabbed Kiara's hands, making her drop the shard she was holding. "Why are you still cleaning if you're injured?" he demanded, frowning darkly.

Kiara raised an eyebrow in disbelief. She had cleaned after getting the crap beaten out of her when she had been trained in fighting by Levi and Farlan.

"Farlan, Isabel... Someone finish cleaning this while I bandage Kiara's fingers." Levi pulled Kiara out from under the table. He couldn't exactly carry Kiara on his hip like he used to, but he did drag her into the bathroom.

Levi made Kiara sit on the edge of the bathtub, ignoring the indignant look on her face. She probably thought the cuts were no big deal and wanted to take care of his cleaning obsession for him because it was his birthday. Levi resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her petulant behavior.

After grabbing alcohol, bandages, and some cleaning swabs, he knelt in front of Kiara, taking her hand. He carefully cleaned the wounds on Kiara fingers. At least there were only two, even if one was fairly deep. Levi carefully inspected the deeper cut before deciding that it would heal fine without stitches. Once her cuts were clean, he wrapped them in bandages, applying pressure to the deep cut to staunch the bleeding.

S-O-R-R-Y. Kiara watched him sadly, biting her lower lip as she wrote on his shoulder with her free hand.

"Why?" Levi looked up from her fingers.

Kiara gestured around them. She had wanted Levi's birthday to be a happy occasion and he only seemed stressed.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I don't need gifts or to celebrate my birthday. It's just another day." Levi frowned, a small sigh escaping his lips.

I. A-M. G-L-A-D. Y-O-U. W-E-R-E. B-O-R-N.

It took her awhile to write out the sentence and for Levi to decipher it. When he did, Levi kissed her forehead, unable to ignore the affection he felt at that moment. No one had ever told him that they were glad that he merely existed before. "Thank you, brat... I'm glad you were born too... And thank you for everything today, but maybe we should go back to sleep?" he suggested, running his thumbs over her cheekbones.

W-H-Y.

"Because today we are having a lazy day. No missions or anything... Just our family together, but it's still early. Lets sleep and spend the day relaxing... Let me hold you again. That's all I want."

Kiara blinked hesitantly before nodding. She wanted to celebrate Levi today, but if he wanted to do that by holding her and sleeping, she wouldn't deny him it.

"Thank you, brat. Go wait for me in bed," Levi murmured and kissed the corner of her mouth quickly before leaving to tell the rest of their family their plans.

* * *

Kiara woke up a few months later to an empty bed. She felt the cold spot beside her, yawning. It was the middle of the night she realized, seeing her sister's sleeping outline in the dark.

Levi was probably planning their next mission in the living room. Yawning again, Kiara stretched out her muscles. She knew he had been holding her earlier.. So he had left after she had fallen asleep.

Deciding she wanted a glass of water, she stretched and stood up. She carefully walked through the dark room, making sure to not wake her sister.

When she made it out to the living room, she found Levi cleaning the already spotless room in the dark. Kiara raised her eyebrow and tapped Levi's shoulder. Levi spun around and grabbed the teenager, pinning her to the floor roughly.

Kiara felt her anxiety spike, struggling against Levi's hold on her confused. Levi never tried instigating training this late at night even if he did try to take her by surprise sometimes. She frowned, looking up at his face to see Levi's eyes were open, but unfocused. He was sleep walking. The thought calmed her nerves slightly. She just had to wake him up.

She struggled mildly again, only shifting in his hold enough for her fingers to reach his wrist.

W-A-K-E. U-P.

She would have been surprised if that had worked, but it didn't. Kiara tentatively tried struggling again, but Levi was much stronger than her even asleep. She sighed, unsure of what to do. Isabel was a pretty light sleeper. Maybe she could make enough noise to get her sister to wake up.

"Dirty," she heard above her. Kiara snapped her head up as the cloth Levi had been using to clean started rubbing her head.

Unbelievable. Levi was sleep cleaning. She started laughing soundlessly. At least she had a free hand now. Kiara reached up and tugged on Levi's ear just hard enough to cause pain.

In a second, her hand was pinned down again, her knuckles slamming against the floor painfully... and Levi's eyes were still unfocused. She should have slapped him.

"What's going on out here?" Isabel asked tiredly, coming into the living room. She had been woken up by the sound Levi had made when he had pinned Kiara down. "Oh... Sorry to interrupt you guys finally getting laid."

Kiara shook her head rapidly, kicking her foot against the floor to get Isabel's attention and jerking her head up at Levi. Isabel paused, looking back at them. Normally, Levi would have gotten embarrassed by her comment and said something back...

"Is something wrong?"

Kiara nodded, pressing her knee against Levi's backside pointedly. Oh... She could have kneed him. She would try that if Isabel couldn't wake him.

"Big bro?" Isabel nudged Levi with her foot, making the older man swat at her irritably.

Kiara took her chance the second her hand was free and slapped Levi as hard as she could.

"What the shit?!" Levi sat up abruptly, ready to kill whoever slapped him. When he saw Kiara under him, he frowned, wondering what was going on. He blinked around the living room, confusion knitting his eyebrows together.

"Why are we in the living room?" He glanced at Isabel for answers as Kiara poked the spot between his eyebrows.

"Don't ask me... Wait, were you sleep walking?" Isabel covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Kiara sat up with Levi sitting in her lap and took Isabel's hand. S-L-E-E-P. C-L-E-A-N-I-N-G.

"He was sleep cleaning?!" Isabel burst into laughter, her eyes streaming with tears. "I think that's an entirely new thing."

"I was not cleaning in my sleep," Levi protested, glaring between the two girls.

Kiara took the cleaning rag out of his hand, holding it up meaningfully. Levi stared at the rag in surprise as Isabel fell to the floor with them.

"Don't you dare te-" he started as Farlan and Kyori walked in, looking confused.

"Are we missing something?" Kyori asked, holding a candle.

"Big brother was sleeping cleaning!" Isabel shrieked with laughter.

Fuck. He was never going to live this down, but maybe it wasn't so bad. Kiara had slipped her arms around Levi's shoulders and was laughing noiselessly. Even Kyori's lips had curled up in amusement, flashing a rare smile. It was nice to see his family so happy... even if he was the brunt of the joke.


	6. Closer

AN: So, here is chapter 6! This all takes place in The Birth of Levi now. I made my own alterations of course. I hope you guys enjoy it. Also, a friend pointed out to me that she wasn't sure how to pronounce my OC's names. They are Key-are-a and Key-or-E :D feedback is very important to me. I would like to thank the two people who have reviewed so far. Thank you. Your reviews inspire me to keep writing and give me valuable insight.

* * *

 _"All that we love and hold so dear can disappear one day without warning." -Amalee_

Kiara wrapped thin arms around herself as a man stood in the doorway of their home, hating the feeling she got from him. It made her hair stand on end.

Kyori clearly didn't like him either, her dark blue eyes were glaring at him like he was a threat.

"Am I seeing double?" The man raised an eyebrow. It was the first thing out of his mouth.

"I get that identical twins are a rare occurrence, but get on with it," Farlan demanded, stepping in front of the man.

"Not just rare. It's nearly unheard of," the man mused, his eyes finding the twins again. "Twins are born maybe once a generation.. I think there's only been one case of identical twins born inside the walls.. Very valuable."

"If you're not going to tell us what you want, then leave." Isabel folded her arms, disliking the look the man was giving her sisters. "You aren't touching either of my sisters."

Kiara felt goosebumps prickle over her skin. She had seen that look before. That man wanted to sell her and her sister. As the realization dawned on the eighteen year old, panic swelled in her.

Kiara backed against the wall, her face showing her fear. She quickly looked away from the man's smirk, gazing down at floor as she tried to get herself under control. Isabel rushed over to her, seeing the pure panic on her face.

"You don't want me to leave just yet," the man said, grinning when he saw Kiara was scared of him, "I'm here to give you a job offer."

"We aren't running some kind of work shop," Levi responded coldly as he took Kiara's hand. Isabel wrapped her arms around her and rubbed Kiara's shoulder gently. "Not only that, but why would we want to work for you after you've threatened two of us."

B-A-D.

Levi nodded subtly, taking the word into account. He didn't like the feeling this man gave off either.

"Are you sure? The payment is something you all sorely want." The man smiled, not seeming to care he wasn't welcomed. "I didn't threaten them either. I merely remarked that they are valuable."

"I can't think of anything that you can offer us." Levi let go of Kiara's hand after a quick glance at the young woman. "I can read between the lines."

"Not even citizenship on the surface for all five of you?" The man smirked, seeing everyone in the room freeze. "I won't touch a hair on either of their heads either."

"Start talking," Farlan growled, on edge. Kiara's breaths were coming in short gasps.

"I have a proposition. You just need to do two jobs for me. First, get a certain incriminating document from someone name Erwin Smith. Second, kill that man. Then, the five of you will have your citizenship on the surface."

"The document.. It's on you, right?" Kyori frowned, watching her sister be comforted by Isabel.

"That is correct. Regardless of if you take my offer or not, Erwin Smith is coming for you. He's heard about you and how you use 3D maneuver gear. He's going to ask you to join the Survey Corps as new scouts. I doubt you'll have much of a choice." The man shrugged. "All you have to do is kill him and get that document. It shouldn't be too difficult to find it."

"We'll think about it. Now, get out." Levi glared, disliking the way the man had set every one of his family members on edge.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again." The man smirked before leaving.

Levi narrowed his eyes as the man left, distrust evident on his face.

"Levi... We might want to consider this thoroughly," Farlan mumbled, looking around the tense room.

"Maybe. Did you recognize it though, the name of the person he said is coming after us?" Levi crossed his arms angrily.

"It sounded familiar.." Farlan trailed off.

Kyori rolled her eyes. "You heard it from me. The man who found Kiara and me was named Erwin," she said, shuffling on her feet in irritation. She had learned to read Kiara when they were toddlers and knew that the older twin had had a bad feeling about Erwin. She hadn't trusted him either. "I have no doubt that it's the same man."

Farlan blinked, recalling the memories Kyori had shown them years ago. He faintly remembered the blond teenager who had picked the twins up on his horse.

Levi nodded tensely. He had remembered it. He was glad the teenager had brought Kiara and Kyori into the walls, but he didn't care for him. It was probably the distrust laced into Kyori's memory... and this man was coming to coerce them into joining the Survey Corps.

Levi turned is attention to Kiara who was looking pale and sweaty. "I've got her," he said quietly. It wasn't the first panic attack Kiara had had since being raped, but they had always been at night after Kiara had woken up from a nightmare.

He gently guided Kiara into his arms from Isabel's, his fingers running through her hair soothingly. "Breathe with me, alright?" he murmured as Kiara's arms hugged him tightly.

Levi breathed deeply and slowly, his hands running soothingly over Kiara's arms. "We aren't going to let him hurt you or Kyori."

Kiara nodded once, taking trembling breaths until her breathing was under control again.

Levi's eyes flicked to Kyori over Kiara's head who was looking tense. They would have to go back outside the walls. They would have to fight titans again if Erwin Smith caught them. That was something he didn't want to happen.

He had seen them fight titans through Kyori's memories and how naturally it came to them... but he also knew it was dangerous. He didn't want to risk any of his family. There was no doubt Isabel, Farlan, and the twins would all join the Survey Corps if he did. This decision wasn't one he could make lightly.

* * *

The night that sealed the deal for most of them came two days after the strange man's visit. Isabel had gone to the market to scope it out for their next mission. When the door flew open, Farlan and Kyori jumped, looking toward Isabel.

Isabel's pig tail on one side was cut short and twenty-one year old woman looked like she had just gotten out of a fight.

"Isabel, did you go to visit those creeps in the lower levels again?" Levi asked, staying still on the couch, but his body was tense.

"I fell," Isabel snapped.

"Are you okay? What happened to your hair?" Farlan asked immediately, moving to her side.

"I'm fine! My hair will grow back!" Isabel shouted, rushing to their room.

Kiara sat up, blinking at the loud voice. She had been sleeping on Levi's lap on the sofa because she had a headache. Levi's had been alternating his cool hands on her forehead to help with the pain in the only way he could short of stealing medicine, but Kiara had insisted that she didn't need it.

Kiara looked up at her family confused as Farlan sighed. "Isabel came home. She's not in a good place."

Kiara frowned and stood, quickly going to Isabel's room. She let herself in without knocking, her eyes taking in Isabel with apprehension.

"Kiara?" Isabel looked over at her, her eyes bright with tears.

Kiara walked over to her and held her gently after mostly closing the door. Isabel tensed before sinking into the hug.

"I'm going to kill them," she sobbed into Kiara's neck, letting the other girl comfort her silently.

Kiara didn't ask what had happened. Isabel didn't say. She just kept chanting death threats over and over as she cried in Kiara's embrace. Kiara was probably the only person she would let near her because the girl couldn't talk. She wanted silence and not someone asking her what had happened. She was too proud to say she had been beaten.

Kiara rocked her older sister, running her fingers over her hair lovingly. She held onto Isabel until the other girl had quieted down.

"Kiara... Do you have a knife on you?" she asked shakily, wiping tears out of her eyes.

Kiara nodded, pulling a knife out of a sheath on her belt. She held it out for Isabel, watching her carefully.

"Can you.. Cut the other side to match it?" Isabel clenched her fists, looking like it was all she could do to ask that.

Kiara hesitated, but nodded her head. She understood in her own way. Her own hair had had to be cut from a nasty encounter. She carefully gripped Isabel's longer pig tail and kissed her cheek before lining up the blade to match her short pig tail. The blade cut through Isabel's hair easily, leaving the auburn strands in Kiara's clenched fist.

"Thank you." Isabel quickly wiped her face again. "Can you tell Farlan I want to be left alone for awhile?"

Kiara nodded and hugged her tightly, kissing her hair before leaving. She deposited the hair in the garbage and sheathed her knife.

"Is Isabel okay?" Farlan asked, coming up to her.

W-A-N-T-S. T-O. B-E. A-L-O-N-E.

"Of course she does." Farlan raked his fingers through his hair once he read what she had wrote.

Kiara patted his shoulder and sighed softly. She was certain that Isabel would be okay given time. After all, Isabel was among the strongest people she had ever known. She just needed time and space right now. Looking around, Kiara's head tilted in confusion.

L-E-V-I. K-Y-O-R-I.

"They went out. They didn't say where..." Farlan looked away from her.

Kiara blinked before pouting. She wanted Levi's cold hands against her forehead again. Kiara flopped down on the sofa, flinging her arm over her eyes.

She was still like that when she heard the door open. Kiara scrunched her face up at the noise and curled up on her side.

"Levi... Kyori... Did you kill them?" She heard Farlan ask softly.

Kiara cracked her eyes open, looking up at Levi and Kyori for their answer. She watched as Kyori and Levi shared a look before closing her eyes again. She had a feeling that the answer was yes.

"I'm thinking I'm going to make potato and leek soup. It's Isabel's favorite." Kyori's voice drifted farther away.

Kiara felt hands lifting her head and shoulders before they lowered her onto Levi's lap. "Kiara's headache hasn't gone away yet?"

"I don't think so. She's been laying like that for half an hour."

Kiara felt Levi's blessedly cold hand against her forehead again and burrowed her face into his legs, sighing with relief.

"Hey, brat, open your mouth. I got you some medicine." Levi guided her face out of his lap and held a flask to her lips.

Kiara frowned faintly before sitting up enough to drink the bitter liquid. She gave Levi a grateful look before letting her head sink down again.

* * *

Kiara quickly stole the money out of a merchant's safe as her family caused a disturbance on the street. These people never seemed to learn. She shook her head, rolling her eyes, before scaling the nearest building in seconds.

Kiara started running on the roofs back to their home, the money tucked safely inside her blouse. It wasn't much this time, but it was something. Hopefully, Kyori had fared better.

"Oi, get on my back, now."

Kiara nearly jumped when Levi landed beside her, but did as she was told. Her legs wrapped around Levi's waist tightly as her hands gripped his shoulders.

"We are being followed. It's the Survey Corps. The others have already split up," he explained, sensing her confusion as they took to the air.

Kiara frowned and turned to look behind them, but she couldn't see anyone. Maybe Levi had already lost them.

She held on tighter as Levi broke into a building through a window. There wasn't time to wonder how in the hell he managed to maneuver both of them down halls with 3DMG, so Kiara didn't try to ask. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to quell her nausea.

Levi set her down in an empty room, glancing out the window carefully. "You alright?"

Kiara nodded, she felt sick and disoriented, but she would get over that soon.

"I'm heading out first. Follow me in a few minutes or when you feel better," he murmured, patting her head as he stood up. Kiara grabbed his hand and looked up at him.

B-E. C-A-R-E-F-U-L.

"I will... You, too, brat," Levi responded, dipping down to brush his lips over her eyebrow. "Don't get caught."

Kiara nodded and waited obediently after Levi had left, counting the seconds. Once three minutes had passed, she leaped out the window. She still felt disoriented, but she wanted to get home as soon as possible. She took off running down the alley she had dropped in, moving in the direction of her home.

The redhead's mouth dropped slightly when she saw Levi and the rest of her family being restrained by a few men on the next street. She hadn't expected them to get caught so soon, if at all.. She certainly hadn't expected Levi to get captured or to see his face being forced into muddy water.

Kiara had to try saving them, despite the warning look Kyori shot her. She ran at a tall blond man who seemed to be in charge. She was so fast that only her family recognized the blur she was.

"Get out of here, Kiara!" Isabel yelled as the smaller redhead leaped into the air to kick the man in the head. She wasn't sure how it happened, but suddenly she was on the ground, facing Levi who was looking pissed off and soaking wet.

The man who Kiara had tried kicking forced her into a kneeling position, holding her hands behind her back. Kiara struggled against the tree that was holding her, trying desperately to break free.

"I assume you are one of them?" the man asked, looking down at her.

Kiara glared before nodding shortly.

The man's eyes moved from Kiara to Kyori. "So, this is where you ended up," he murmured.

Kyori growled faintly, pissed off that someone was holding her sister against her will.

Kiara looked a bit confused, sending glances between her sister and the man.

"Kiara, he's the one who brought us to the walls. Erwin." Kyori glared at the man.

Kiara's eyes widened slightly as her body stilled. So, the man who had visited them a week ago had been right. Erwin had given her a bad feeling all those years ago. She realized that hadn't changed as she met his light blue eyes now.

"I thought I did you a favor by rescuing you from the titans," Erwin said idly, looking at Kiara.

"I don't trust your motives behind it and you give my sister a bad feeling," Kyori growled. She was certain her words didn't make sense to the man, but she didn't care.

"Why do I give you a bad a feeling?" Erwin blinked.

Kiara bit her lip, looking over at her family.

"She's mute," Farlan grumbled, seeing her look distressed. "She can't speak! Let her at least come to one of us so we can communicate with her!"

"Mute.." Erwin shook his head, not really believing him. "That's neither here, nor there. It doesn't matter if she can speak. Levi, will you join us or not?"

"If I refuse?" Levi narrowed his eyes.

"I'll hand you all over to military police. I doubt they'll be so lenient with your crimes."

"You mean the assholes wearing unicorns?!" Kyori demanded. "They are the ones who threw Kiara and I down here!"

Erwin blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Their insignia is a unicorn, yes."

Kyori groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Let Kiara go, first. Then, I'll give you my answer." Levi looked up at Erwin murderously.

Erwin narrowed his eyes. "Don't try to fight or escape," he warned after a long moment, seeing that Levi wasn't going to budge.

Kiara nodded, trying to seem as nonthreatening as possible. She just wanted to be away from this man.

As soon as he released her, Kiara dug a handkerchief out of her pocket and rushed to kneel between Levi and Kyori. She wiped the dirty water off Levi's face as thoroughly as she could, knowing he was probably in his worst nightmare from being so filthy.

T-A-K-E. I-T. W-E. W-I-L-L. B-E. F-I-N-E.

Levi looked over at her as she wrote on his shoulder, staying silent for a moment. He didn't care that Erwin and the rest of the scouts were watching them with interest.

P-L-E-A-S-E. I-S-A-B-E-L.

Levi frowned at the reminder, but nodded once. He was tired of Isabel coming home from fights. It certainly didn't help that that man, Nicolas Lovof, had threatened the twins if they didn't cooperate. They didn't really have a choice anyways. "Fine. We'll join the Survey Corps."

Kiara relaxed slightly, her head falling to rest on his shoulder. They were going into titan territory again, but she didn't care. She just wanted her family together.

"Stop worrying so much, brat," he murmured, wrenching his hands free from the person holding them to wrap around her shoulders.

* * *

Not long after, they found themselves in a carriage on the surface. Kiara sat between her twin and Levi, feeling exhausted. She had known this was coming, but she didn't enjoy the prospect of it. She hadn't liked living underground, but she loved the life she had had... She couldn't stop feeling like joining the Survey Corps was going to result in tragedy.

She leaned against Kyori, her shoulder length hair falling over her eyes. She missed her voice and being able to communicate freely. Her hand was in Levi's, but she couldn't think of how to word her feeling concisely. Even if she could figure it out, there was no turning back now.

She mindlessly tapped on his wrist, feeling restless.

"Are you alright?" Levi asked after a moment.

Kiara blinked before raising her head. She looked over at Levi, trying to smile at him. She nodded, but could tell he wasn't convinced by the way his hand tightened around hers.

T-I-R-E-D.

Levi nodded once after she traced the letters on his wrist. "If you're tired, take a nap," he said.

T-O-N-I-G-H-T.

"At least rest, then," he sighed, pulling her onto his shoulder and covering her eyes with his hand. Kiara squirmed, feeling annoyed, but relaxed after a few seconds. Regardless of how strong she had become, Levi was still stronger than her and he wasn't letting go.

Kiara switched to holding Kyori's hand. She almost always had a hold on someone's hand. It was easiest to communicate like this.

When the carriage finally stopped, Kiara climbed out of the carriage with her family, looking around. At the very least, it smelled cleaner up here. She took Farlan's hand after they were on the street.

"Levi.. About joining the Survey Corps.. Does this mean we are-" Farlan started.

"I am _not_ joining the Survey Corps," Levi hissed, glaring at them. "I'm only here to kill that blond tree at the first chance I get it."

Levi was livid. Not only had Erwin coerced his family into joining the Survey Corps, but he had also manhandled Kiara who couldn't even speak for herself.

P-L-A-N.

"Kiara's right," Farlan said, glancing down Kiara, "We need to stick to my plan. We can succeed. You just need to trust us. If you're still not sure, tell me.. But it would be meaningless to kill him before we have that document."

Levi clicked his tongue and Kiara quickly switched to holding his hand instead.

P-L-E-A-S-E.

Levi looked down at Kiara for a long moment before storming off. Kiara watched him worriedly as Isabel took her hand. "Don't worry. He's not an idiot," Isabel murmured, kissing Kiara's forehead lightly.

"He'll be fine," Kyori added, even as she stared after him worriedly.

Kiara smiled faintly at her sisters, tapping Isabel's wrist to let her know she understood. A man came out then, demanding that they go with him. Kiara straightened, playing the part that was assigned to her.

* * *

Kiara followed her family as they searched for Levi later that night. Worry was growing in her stomach, but she didn't have the feeling that he was in trouble. In fact, she had a feeling that he was calmer now. She needed to ascertain that he was safe with her own eyes though.

When they finally found him on the roof, she sighed with relief, walking hand-in-hand with Farlan as they approached Levi. The night sky was beautiful and full of constellations.

"You're keeping all this to yourself?" Farlan asked as they walked over to where Levi was sitting.

"That's so unfair." Isabel huffed. "You sneaked off too."

Levi glanced at them, furrowing his eyebrows. "It's because you are all so noisy, I can't even kill anything quietly with you lot around," he groused.

"I haven't seen the stars in awhile.. At least not like this.. I bet you are loving this, Kiara," Kyori mumbled.

Kiara nodded, her gaze turning upwards. She loved the night sky. She let go of Farlan's hand and walked over to Levi, sitting beside him.

W-O-R-R-I-E-D. She chastised him, writing on his arm.

He glanced at her and took her hand automatically, her fingers settling on his wrist.

"I'm not going to kill him yet. I'll trust you." Levi looked over at Farlan, his finger tracing a word on Kiara's palm.

She sighed and squeezed his hand, letting him know that he was forgiven.

At least this plan was working for now.

* * *

Kiara frowned as she stood in front of the group of soldiers, being introduced as a new member of the Survey Corps.

After Levi, Farlan, and Isabel had introduced themselves, Kyori stood up straight. "I'm Kyori and this is my sister, Kiara. She's mute."

Kiara gazed out at the group of people, her hand in Isabel's.

"All of you, with the exception of Kyori will be placed in Flagon's squad. Kyori will be placed in Hange's squad. Take care of them."

Kiara and Kyori didn't register this at first, but when they did, they both looked pissed off. They hadn't been separated once in their whole lives.

The man making the announcement, Shadis, Kiara vaguely remembered, saw their anger and raised an eyebrow. "Don't bother arguing. Kyori has demonstrated a knack for science and knowledge. We need minds like hers and Hange will be able to train and teach her."

Kyori was suddenly enveloped in a woman's arms as a man led Kiara and everyone else off. Kiara had to be dragged by Isabel at first.

She followed her family, not paying attention to the building they walked through. When they arrived at the dorms, Kiara looked around, squeezing Isabel's hand tightly.

"These are the dorms," Flagon said, folding his arms, "This is where you will sleep."

He showed them a bunk. Kiara sighed softly as Levi inspected the cleanliness of it.

"Great! We'll all be sleeping together just like before!" Isabel cheered. Kiara had to admit, that was a better than what she had expected. She sent a small smile at Levi and Farlan, relieved to have them close.

"Actually, the two of you will be in a separate dorm with the the other women," Flagon corrected, frowning tensely.

"What?! Me and Kiara are fine here! We don't want to sleep in a different dorm!" Isabel protested, stomping her foot. "Will Kyori even be in that dorm?"

"Probably not. Hange's squad sleeps in a separate dorm because they disturb everyone else at all hours of the night." Flagon shrugged.

Kiara looked at Levi, but quickly dropped her gaze embarrassed. Now that she thought about it, she was an adult and two adults sharing a bed probably wasn't normal. At least not for the same reasons she slept with Levi.

She heard Levi click his tongue in distaste and watched him wipe away dirt from the underside of the bed.

N-E-A-T. F-R-E-A-K.

Isabel snorted and giggled as Kiara schooled her face into an innocent expression. Levi gave them a look, knowing exactly what had just happened between the two women.

"I know you're used to living in filth in the underground, but up here you'll be expected to have cleanliness and order," Flagon remarked snidely.

He did not just go there, Kiara thought angrily, her eyes narrowed.

"What did you just say?!" Levi demanded, getting in Flagon's face.

Kiara wasn't surprised that Levi snapped at the guy, but it was a bad idea to blow up here. Farlan was evidently thinking the same thing because as Kiara pushed her way between Flagon and Levi, Farlan did the same. Kiara quickly wrote on Levi's chest as Farlan tried to pacify Flagon.

P-L-A-N.

She looked up at him imploringly, violet eyes meeting steel. After a moment, Levi nodded tightly. She gave him a weak smile.

Kiara turned on her heel and followed Flagon out of the room before anyone could protest. She caught up with him outside of the dorms and tapped his shoulder.

Flagon spun around, looking down at the young woman with narrowed eyes. "Did you need something?" he snapped.

Nodding, Kiara held out her hand to him, hoping he understood that she wanted to communicate with him.

The older man stared at her for a moment, knowing she was mute and couldn't be expect to speak, but he couldn't help feeling repulsed by her. She was from the underground and a criminal.

"Can you write on paper with a pen?" he finally asked.

Kiara blinked, a look of hurt crossing her features, but she nodded. The man dug out a pen and paper from his jacket and handed them to her.

It had been a decade since the last time Kiara had used a pen, but the girl knew how it worked. Her handwriting was sloppy, but still readable.

 _I know you have a prejudice against us because of where we came from. We didn't choose to live there though. Levi has an obsession with cleanliness. He worked hard to make sure we were clean and safe. Don't hold it against him that your remark offended him. We just want to help and get along._

She finished after a long moment and handed the paper and pen back to the man. Kiara attempted to give him a salute, failing miserably by reversing it, before heading back into the dorms just as Isabel came out.

"I'll be right back, Kiara," she said, grinning at her. "Levi and Farlan are worried. Go back and help them clean, alright?"

Kiara nodded, rushing back as Isabel looked after her. Flagon quickly read the short note and frowned faintly. Maybe he had been prejudiced...

"I'm sure that Kiara told you that Levi is a neat freak by now," Isabel said, turning to the man. "I'm here to request that you not separate us into different dorms. We are a family. It's bad enough Kyori has been put into a different squad and won't be in the women's dorm either. You'll save on beds anyways. I've always slept with Farlan and Kiara has been sharing a bed with Levi for.. four years now, I think.. Plus, you don't want those two to be separated."

Isabel looked at the man who was clutching the paper in his hand, clearly annoyed. "And why don't I want that?"

"Kiara has nightmares," Isabel answered easily, folding her arms. "Levi is quickest way to wake her up and calm her down. While she is a mute, she can scream pretty loudly in her sleep."

"That makes no sense."

"I agree it's odd, but Kiara wasn't always a mute. She lost her voice after she was raped when she was fourteen... Farlan told me that there were four men that seemed to have taken part in raping her. Her throat was completely purple for a long time. Levi suspects they choked her and threatened her to be quiet... and she hasn't found her voice since... Except when she is having a nightmare."

Flagon looked faintly sick at the thought. "She screams at night?"

"Sometimes, yeah... Plus, Farlan and I are married," Isabel lied, holding up a ring she always wore around her neck. "Let us sleep together. We aren't about to do anything perverted in a room full of people."

Flagon stared at her for a moment before scoffing. "Fine. If anything indecent happens though, you will be in the women's dorms."

"Thank you," Isabel grinned, "that's a weight off my mind. I was worried about Kiara."

Before Flagon could say anything else, Isabel was off to help the other three clean.

"Good news," Isabel announced, her arms wrapping around Kiara as the other woman dusted.

W-H-A-T. Kiara wrote on her arm, looking puzzled.

"We are sleeping here. That crab ass agreed to let us stay together." Isabel smiled widely as everyone looked at her.

"How did you manage to pull that off?" Farlan asked, blinking.

"I may have told him about the nightmares and that Farlan and I are married.. Oh, he said if anything gross happens, we will be put in separate dorms though. So, no being perverted, big bro," Isabel giggled as Kiara's face flushed crimson.

Levi rolled his eyes and tugged on Isabel's hair in annoyance. "You're the perverted one, stupid," he said, handing her a cloth.

"Right," Isabel laughed sarcastically.

"Wait, you told him we're married?" Farlan looked at her flabbergasted. "I haven't even had the chance to propose to you yet!"

Levi, Isabel, and Kiara all blinked at him as Farlan flushed pink.

"So, you were planning on it?" Levi raised an eyebrow.

Isabel grinned as Farlan cleared his throat awkwardly. "The answer is yes," Isabel laughed, kissing Farlan quickly and heatedly on the lips.

Kiara looked at Levi with a smile playing on her lips, taking his hand. E-N-G-A-G-E-D.

"Looks like it," he murmured, looking faintly amused.

* * *

Over the next few months in training, the five of them proved to be excellent fighters. Even Kiara, who still refused to use 3DMG, kept up with everyone when it came to practicing killing titans.

She had also refused to use the swords, preferring to use her chakrams. Kyori used her sai in training. Both pairs of weapons had a special feature. The chakrams were normally the size of throwing disks. The sai were usually no longer than a forearm. But when the twins hit buttons on their weapons, they tripled in size and durability. The metal they were made of didn't dull or break easily. Kyori was the only one who knew it was a form of maraging steel. They were plenty to take out even large titans, even if they did require frequent sharpening.

Kyori spent just as much time training as the rest of her family, though she also had to help Hange after training. She had to learn everything possible about titans and the experiments Hange and other scientists had conducted on them. Most nights, she fell asleep with her head in her superior's lap while Hange rattled on about some new idea she had had or relived an old one.

Levi and Farlan both excelled in 3DMG tactics like they had been made for it. They flew through the air gracefully and took down the titan dummies as proficiently as the twins. In Levi's case, he was better than anyone, despite the way he held his swords. He held them completely reversed from the standard way of wielding them.

Isabel's great strength was in horseback riding. She loved animals and often claimed she could sense what they were feeling.

Kiara, on the other hand, hated horseback riding. The horses were all much bigger than she was and it set her on edge to ride, something the animals could sense and didn't like. She quickly figured out that if she rode with Isabel, things went much smoother for her.

All in all, they were happier than they had been in the underground. Up here, the sun and fresh air made any threat seem laughable. Kiara was starting to second guess her feeling that joining the Survey Corps was going to result in tragedy.

* * *

When the day of their first mission outside the walls arrived, Kiara woke up early from a nightmare.

Levi was glad he hadn't been sleeping when the first scream tore its way out of Kiara's throat. He immediately put a hand over her mouth.

Kiara had only had a handful nightmares since joining the Survey Corps. Most nights she was so tired from training, she didn't dream at all. The nightmares she had had over the past few months had been quickly quelled by Levi before things had gotten too loud. This time, it was impossible to keep her screams completely silent.

"Is something wrong?" One of the other scouts asked, sitting up in bed. A few other heads poked up, looking sleepy.

"Kiara's having a nightmare," Levi answered, trying to wake up the girl squirming beside him. Sobs were coming from her now.

"I thought she couldn't speak?" Another scout asked tiredly.

Levi ignored him as Kiara cried out his name against his hand. He didn't want to know what this nightmare was about if she was calling for him and crying. For all he knew, it could have been about the rape again and he didn't want either of them to have to relive that... But it had been over three years since her last nightmare about that particular event, so he doubted it.

"Kiara, I'm right here. Wake up. Open your eyes," he demanded urgently into her ear, still shaking her gently.

He sighed when Kiara bolted upright her eyes wild and streaming with tears. She was breathing hard against his hand. He slowly removed his hand and sat up with her. This was the first time he had ever seen her cry. He wasn't sure what to do with her tears.

"It was just a nightmare," Levi murmured, running his fingers through her hair.

She turned slowly to meet his gaze, reason returning to her. Kiara fell back against the bed, burying her face into the pillow they shared.

Levi pulled her into his arms, smoothing her hair back. "What was it about?" he asked wearily.

Kiara tensed before pointing to the bunk above them.

"Farlan and Isabel?"

She nodded. D-E-A-D. T-I-T-A-N-S.

"You had a nightmare that titans killed Farlan and Isabel?" he murmured, rubbing her back. When she nodded, he held her tighter. He couldn't reassure that they would be safe... there was no way to know that for sure. Levi wasn't one for making empty promises.

"It's not even dawn. Titans are dormant right now," he murmured. "There are no titans here. We're all safe right now."

Levi held the crying girl until she settled down. He buried his face in her hair, rubbing her back until she dozed off again. Hopefully, the next few hours of sleep would be more restful for the teenager. They would all need it for the upcoming mission.


	7. See You Again: Part 1

AN: As stated, I'm mostly following the manga. Hold onto your feels, dear readers.

* * *

 _"How can we not talk about family when family's all that we got? Everything I went through you were standing there by my side." -Wiz Khalifa_

Kiara shifted uncomfortably on Isabel's horse, holding on to her sister. She could hear the sound of people around them. Sneering comments filled her ears about how the scouts were just a waste of taxpayer money.

It didn't really bother her. She couldn't care less about the opinions of the men and women surrounding her. It was a bit disheartening to know that these people would rather live like cattle than to try to fight though.

Her eyes found a young boy who was standing on top of some crates. He was cheering. Something about him reminded her of Isabel. His eyes were the same shade of blue-green. He couldn't have been older than nine. Kiara flashed the boy a smile as their eyes met before triple checking her chakrams were in place on her back.

"It's going to be okay, Kiara," Kyori murmured on a horse beside her. "We'll be back in Shinganshina tomorrow. The mission will be a success."

Kiara wrinkled her nose. She knew full well that Kyori meant their mission to find the document on Nicolas Lovof and kill Erwin. She couldn't say she wanted this mission to succeed. She had a really bad feeling about it.

Kyori sighed and looked over at Farlan and Levi. "I have to go to Hange before we leave... Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm sure we will all be fine." Farlan gave her a reassuring smile. "It's just some titans. We can manage."

Kyori hesitated before leaning over to touch her sister's hand. "I'm going to try to give you back your memories of when we first arrived here, okay? You killed thirty-eight titans... It might help to remember how you did that."

Kiara looked over at her sister before nodding carefully. It wasn't like she had much of a choice. Kyori had a point. Those memories could be useful.

At first nothing happened. Kiara stared at Kyori's face as it contorted slightly. She knew she was concentrating hard on whatever it was she was doing, but Kiara was sure it was a moot effort after a few moments.

Then, her eyes widened. She wasn't looking at a grown woman anymore. She was staring at her sister as a child. There were seven titans surrounding the tree they were in. Kiara watched as Kyori nodded and then they were running through the trees and jumping on the backs of titans.

She saw her own hands holding her giant chakrams and bearing down on the nape of a titan's neck, fluidly carving the flesh out of it. She felt steaming hot blood spray her even as she leapt onto the next titan and repeated the maneuver. Kiara checked on her sister as she sliced through the next titan's flesh and felt relief flood her when she saw Kyori was alright. Her sister had already taken down four titans. That left the last one for her.

Kiara soared through the air and killed the final titan before landing in a tree.

"I need to sharpen my chakrams again," she heard herself note as Kyori landed next to her. She plopped down on the branch and took out a whetstone stone from her bag.

"Too bad we don't have anymore oil." Kyori sighed, sitting next to her and sharpening her sai. "By the way, it's seventeen to sixteen. I'm winning."

Kiara blinked and the memory cleared. She gaped at her sister open mouthed, looking confused.

"I was only able to release that one. Do you think that it will help?" Kyori asked carefully.

Kiara nodded slowly, closing her mouth. She wanted the rest of her memories back, but now wasn't the time or place.

"Are you okay?" Levi asked softly, knowing how horrific some of the memories Kyori had sealed were.

Kiara nodded again, sending him a weak smile. Bells sounded loudly at that moment and the gate in front of them opened. She heard the order to advance and tightened her grip on Isabel as they started moving.

"It's okay, sis, I've got you," Isabel said reassuringly, patting Kiara's hand. Kiara pouted, wondering, not for the first time, why she couldn't just run.

She clung tightly to Isabel as they passed through Wall Maria. The sun seemed even brighter on the other side of the wall. Something stirred inside of her as they passed into the titan territory- a sense of freedom that she had forgotten years ago. A smile broke out on her face as she gazed up at the sky.

"Amazing," she heard Farlan breathe as Isabel exclaimed in wonderment.

"Yeah.. Not bad," Levi murmured, looking up above.

Kiara smiled. She was glad her family was witnessing this too. She drew on Isabel's stomach, writing a single word.

"Kiara says love. I think she means us and this... Right?"

Kiara nodded, her heart swelling with the love she held for family and this freedom.

"We love you too," Farlan chuckled, smiling at Kiara.

"Yeah... and when we get back, I get to marry Farlan for real!" Isabel grinned. "Then, you and Levi need to get married."

"You're really excited about that, aren't you?" Levi rolled his eyes, but he could understand in a way when he glanced at Kiara smiling in the sun. "Wait, Kiara and I aren't even dating!

"Of course you're not, big bro." Isabel rolled her blue-green eyes. "I want to get started on the rest of our lives. I need to start learning how to sew," Isabel suddenly said, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Why do you need to learn how to sew?" Farlan asked, looking over at her confused. "Are you going to make yourself and Kiara a wedding dress?"

"Ew. I hate dresses. Maybe I'll make Kiara one though when big bro finally accepts his feelings. I think she would look beautiful in a white wedding dress... No, I need to learn for the baby." Isabel shrugged.

"That makes sense... a baby would take a lot of clothes."

Kiara and Levi exchanged a slightly embarrassed and disbelieving look. They turned to Farlan, looking at him like he was an idiot.

"Farlan..." Levi trailed off as his best friend looked at him.

"What? We shouldn't steal all those clothes living up here..." Realization dawned on his face. "Wait, Isabel, you're pregnant?!"

Isabel burst out laughing, nodding her head. "I just figured it out last night. Kyori checked me over. She thinks I'm a little over three months along. Which makes sense since we haven't gotten laid since before we left the underground."

Farlan blinked several times, his jaw going slack. "I'm going to be a dad? Seriously?"

"Yeah," Isabel grinned, "you can listen to the heartbeat later tonight if you want."

"Did you have to tell me now?" Farlan demanded. "I can't even hold you like this, much less kiss you or anything!"

"Sorry!" Isabel smiled brightly. "It just kind of slipped."

Farlan cursed as Kiara started laughing silently into Isabel's neck.

C-O-N-G-R-A-T-S.

"I guess our family just got bigger," Levi noted, "Congratulations to both of you. Quit smiling like an idiot, Farlan. We are still in titan territory... With your pregnant bride-to-be."

The goofy smile disappeared off Farlan's face. "Isabel! You shouldn't have come!"

"Why not?! I'm perfectly capable of defending myself!" Isabel pouted at Farlan. "I'll keep our baby safe! Trust me!"

Farlan sighed and ran his fingers through his brownish-blond hair. "Just be careful. I love you, you dolt. You and our baby."

Isabel grinned and blew him a kiss, winking. "I love you, too, you jerk."

* * *

Kiara winced as she saw a titan bite one of the scouts in half. Despite warnings from Flagon, her family circled back to the two titans plaguing the scouts.

S-T-A-Y. H-E-R-E.

Kiara kissed Isabel's cheek before leaping off the horse's back. She landed softly on the ground and ran toward a tree, dodging a huge hand. She scaled the tree in seconds, taking her chakrams off her back.

Kiara jumped off the tree onto the smaller of the two titans, landing nimbly on its back. She pressed the switches on her chakrams. Two loud clicks shot through the air as her weapons snapped into their larger forms.

Kiara grit her teeth and sliced through its nape, dousing herself with titan blood. As the titan fell, she felt arms wrap around her and the familiar nauseating tug of 3DMG. Her head turned to see Farlan, his mouth set in a grim line.

Levi was already on top of the other titan's carcass, watching Farlan as he carried Kiara down to the ground safely. Kiara made her chakrams small again as her feet touched the ground. She climbed on the back of Isabel's horse, glad the other woman had stayed put like she had asked her to.

She smiled over at Levi who had taken down his titan in seconds. He was a natural. Farlan and Isabel were staring between the two of them wide eyed.

"How come neither of you froze up?" Isabel demanded.

"Kiara has faced these freaks of nature before.. I understand that.. But you, Levi?" Farlan blinked at his closest friend.

"Tch," Levi clicked his tongue, climbing up on his horse again, "do I look like the type to freeze up?"

"Of course not... But I would have rather been back in underground city drinking sewage water than deal with that." Farlan grimaced, glancing at the carnage.

"Don't be such a baby," Isabel teased as they started moving again.

"You just worry about protecting our baby," Farlan muttered, rolling his eyes.

* * *

Kiara sighed heavily as her family sat around her, discussing their plans. She was tired from her nightmare the night before and from riding on horseback all day. They were currently taking refuge somewhere outside the walls in an abandoned fortress.

Kiara was sitting between Kyori's legs, her head resting on her shoulder as she dozed off. Kyori was rubbing her arms soothingly as she talked, her long hair falling over her shoulder. She held her sister close to her, let her nuzzle against her shoulder.

Kiara heard Farlan ask her and Levi to keep guard and looked up at him wearily, trying to recall what the conversation had been about. She vaguely remembered something about Farlan wanting to look through Erwin's things for that document.

"Kiara's half asleep. Is that really necessary?" Kyori asked softly.

"I can keep guard by myself," Levi pointed out, folding his arms.

"Yeah, but if anyone passes, it will be less suspicious if there's two of you." Isabel grinned, winking at Levi.

Levi scowled, rolling his eyes as he caught her meaning. "That's not happening."

"Yes, it is," Isabel giggled softly.

Kiara looked confused as Isabel pulled her up onto her feet.

"Remember, no killing anyone yet," Farlan said firmly.

Sighing, Levi took Kiara's hand and stormed into the hall to keep watch with her. He leaned against the wall, not looking at Kiara.

W-H-A-T. I-S. W-R-O-N-G.

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" he asked, still scowling.

Kiara guided his face to look at her. She gave him a knowing look and gently brushed her fingers over the crease in between his eyebrows. Levi quickly schooled his face into a mask of indifference, making Kiara scoff. It was quiet for a long time, making her wonder if he would answer her or just ignore the question.

"Isabel's matchmaking is getting on my nerves," he finally answered quietly.

Kiara flushed faintly and sighed, drawing the number six against his wrist. He looked at her for a moment in confusion before recalling that they had six years left before his ten year limit was up.

"You're keeping track?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, not meeting his gaze. Of course she was keeping track. She had finally understood what Isabel and Farlan meant when they had talked about what being in love was like... because of Levi. The past four years had shown her just how complicated and complex being in love really was, but it made Kiara feel alive and happy.

Y-O-U-R. I-D-E-A.

"I know it was my idea to wait until you are twenty-four... I just thought you would forget about it and move on." Levi frowned. "I wasn't expecting you to wait for so long. I'm still not expecting it."

D-O. Y-O-U. W-A-N-T. M-E. T-O. G-I-V-E. U-P.

He looked down at the redhead who was gazing up at him with a careful expression. Sighing, he shook his head. "No, I don't want that... But there are better peo-" he cut himself off, hearing footsteps.

Levi frowned and looked over his shoulder as Kiara wrote on his wrist again.

S-O-R-R-Y. A-L-I-B-I.

Levi blinked as his mind registered what she had written. A moment later, she was pulling him down by his cravat and pressing her lips to his. Levi stared at her closed eyes before sighing softly and returning the kiss. It would look strange to pull away now... and he had missed the feeling of her lips.

He settled her hands on her hips, pressing her against the wall as he slanted his mouth over hers. The small breath of surprise that left her was nearly enough to make him forget that they were just establishing an alibi.

Kiara's hands tangled into his hair as she nipped playfully at his lower lip. Her tongue flicked out and ran over the bite. Levi made a quiet noise, wondering where on earth she had learned to do that, but then the sound of someone clearing their throat jerked him out of the moment. He pulled away quickly, turning his head to see Erwin standing there with a look of amusement written on his face. Levi wanted to kill the man for interrupting them. Erwin Smith seemed to have a death wish.

"Flagon assured me you and Kiara didn't have that sort of relationship when he told me he agreed to you sharing a bed," Erwin remarked, a smile playing on his lips.

"We don't," Levi responded immediately, rolling his eyes.

"Relax. I'm not going to make you two sleep in separate dorms. I've heard about the nightmare that Kiara had last night and how you pacified her. Isabel wasn't lying about that at least." Erwin patted his shoulder. "Just don't get too.. physical around the other scouts, alright."

Levi narrowed his eyes, subconsciously pulling Kiara closer to him. "We won't be getting physical at all," he grumbled even as Kiara's arms slipped around his neck. She buried her face in his neck, sighing softly.

"Right... So how are you getting used to being a scout?" Erwin asked, changing the topic.

"Everyone seems to be hotheaded and won't shut up about titans," Levi muttered.

"Of course. That's the type of people generally attracted to the Survey Corps." Erwin raised a thick eyebrow.

"Really... I bet you're at the top of that list," Levi answered coldly.

"You did really well today. You took down an abnormal on your first kill. Kiara did well too... I've never seen someone take down a titan without 3DMG before. Your teammates can rest easier knowing you both are on their side," Erwin tried changing tactics again.

Levi paused, turning Kiara and himself so that he was leaning against the wall. He tried to free himself of her embrace, but stopped when he realized that she was nearly asleep again.

"All I did was watch the titan's movements as someone else got eaten. I figured out how to kill it from there. Kiara... This wasn't her first time outside as you know."

"I do know. I've always wondered how two children managed to survive out here long enough for us to find them. Hell, I've always wanted to know how they got outside to begin with... but I think I at least know how they survived now." Erwin stared at the small woman resting in Levi's arms. "She and her sister are quite talented, just like you."

"Which is good because I don't intend on losing any of my family to your death count in this war." Levi narrowed his eyes.

"I see... Just as you said, the Survey Corps has made innumerable sacrifices to get where we are now. There's a lot about the outside world we don't understand yet... But if it means we can take the outside world back... there's no one here who wouldn't give up their heart for that milestone. There are no regrets for the sacrifices that were made. Not a single scout regrets it." Erwin stared at Levi determinedly.

Levi held his gaze for a long moment, feeling tense. He sure as hell wouldn't risk his life or his family's just take some territory from the titans... At least he didn't think he would. His family was too precious to him.

"Big bro! Sis!" Isabel shouted, running up to them.

Kiara jumped in Levi's arms when she heard Isabel calling them and turned around. Isabel smirked when she saw Levi and Kiara wrapped around each other. She ignored Erwin's presence completely.

"I was wondering why you two left. Did you finally confess your undying love to each other?" Isabel teased, making Kiara flush crimson. She quickly squirmed out of Levi's arms and shoved Isabel playfully.

"Get that out of your head," Levi grumbled, ruffling Isabel's hair. He pulled Kiara along beside him as he led them back into the room where the scouts were all sleeping, not sparing Erwin a second glance.

Kiara sat beside to Kyori again, still looking embarrassed.

"We couldn't find it," Farlan murmured.

"I figured that would be the case. You couldn't find it in his office, so it seemed unlikely that you would find it in his things. He must be carrying it on him. That means we have to kill him." Levi frowned, sitting down on his duffel next to Kiara.

"Don't say that so loudly," Farlan grumbled, leaning Isabel against him as his hand rubbed her stomach lightly. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Hey! Can I interrupt you guys for a moment?!" A woman asked.

"Hange..." Kyori groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry, you can sleep with your family tonight, like I promised. I mean, I can't conduct too many experiments out here." Hange grinned and started rattling on about the titans Levi and Kiara had taken down together.

Her voice kept fading in and out for Kiara as the eighteen year old started dozing off again. She barely felt an arm wrap around her, pulling her against its owner's chest.

"Sorry, but Kiara is sleeping and I'm exhausted. I don't think either of us has the energy to try teaching anyone about anything," Levi tonelessly responded to something Hange had said. Kiara yawned and nodded faintly in agreement.

"Oh, I'm sorry.. It was nice to meet the rest of Kyori's family. Lets have a nice long chat next time. If we survive, I'll buy you guys lunch!"

Kiara watched as Hange left, barely managing to keep her eyes open. Kyori covered her sister with a blanket as Levi situated her between his knees, letting her head rest on his chest.

* * *

Kiara didn't remember falling asleep that night, but she jerked awake at midnight from the same nightmare that she had had last night. Her mouth was being covered by Levi's hand again. She looked up at him, clearly terrified.

"It's alright. It was just another nightmare," Levi murmured, stroking her hair, "just breathe."

Kiara started breathing deeply, mimicking Levi's breaths automatically. She noticed Farlan and Isabel watching her carefully from their makeshift bed. Farlan was rubbing the slightly swollen bump on Isabel's stomach and Isabel herself looked like she had just woken up.

Apparently Kiara had fallen asleep sitting up, propped against Levi's chest. Kyori had been resting on Kiara's lap, but she wasn't sleeping anymore.

"Was it the same nightmare as last night?" Levi asked softly, letting go of her mouth when she was sentient again. Kiara nodded slowly.

"Where am I in this nightmare?" He wondered, not really expecting an answer.

G-O-N-E.

He blinked, looking down at her before sighing. "And you?"

Kiara paused, biting her lip. Instead of writing, the young woman gripped his index finger hard.

Levi watched her for a moment before tilting his head. "Are you in a titan's hand?" he asked finally.

She nodded.

"So Farlan and Isabel die, you're about to die, and I'm MIA?" Levi frowned. That wasn't likely to happen. He wouldn't risk his family like that, but Kiara nodded her head.

"What about me?" Kyori asked, sitting up.

Kiara frowned and shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know where her sister was in her nightmare. It wasn't like how she knew that Levi was supposed to be there and was gone. Kyori just wasn't part of it.

Farlan and Isabel sat up tiredly and scooted closer to Kiara and Levi. Farlan's head rested against Levi's leg and Isabel moved to his other side to drape herself over his other leg. Isabel pulled Kiara into a hug, nuzzling her hair.

"Oi, did I turn into a pillow for all you brats?" Levi asked dryly, as Farlan patted Kiara's head.

"You love us and you know it," Isabel yawned. "We aren't going to die any time soon. Farlan and I still have to get married and I have a baby that needs protecting."

"Yeah, I'm not letting anything happen to that child... and we only just got out of the underground. We want to enjoy this." Farlan kissed Kiara's forehead.

Levi frowned faintly as Kyori stayed silent. He knew that look on her face meant something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was. There was no way Kiara's nightmare could possibly happen. He wouldn't leave them alone to face titans, especially with Isabel pregnant. Kyori met his eyes for a brief moment before she hugged Farlan, Kiara, and Isabel, holding them tightly.

It wasn't long before the four of them had all fallen back to sleep in a tangled mess around Levi. He sighed and patted their heads absently, letting his family sleep on him. It wasn't like this would be the last nightmare Kiara had. He was certain Isabel and Farlan would do this exact same thing again when the next nightmare came if they woke up for it. He was certain that that would result in a similar tangled mess on his bunk. He might as well get used to it now.

* * *

It was Kiara's nightmare all over again, only very, very real.

It had started pouring rain out of nowhere. Visibility was next to nothing. Kiara had been riding behind Isabel when Levi had broken away from them, shouting about going on ahead to complete their mission. She had desperately tried to write on Isabel's hand, but it was too wet and cold. Her fingers slipped over letters.

"It's fine, Kiara," Isabel had shouted back at her, "we'll be with the rest of the group soon. Levi won't be long anyways."

Kiara had hugged Isabel, a bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

Now, she had no idea where Farlan and Isabel were. The titans had appeared out of no where. The rain made fighting and just seeing difficult... and there were so many of them.

Kiara leapt into the air as a large hand tried to grab her, landing on the slippery arm of the titan. She slipped over wet skin as she tried to scramble up its arm to get to its neck.

"Isabel!" Farlan shouted from somewhere behind her.

She heard Isabel scream. Kiara grit her teeth, praying for her family to be safe. She pulled out two knives, digging them into the arm and trying to pull herself up. The blood pouring out of wounds she made only added to the slipperiness. Isabel's scream ended abruptly. Kiara's heart sank.

"Isabel!" Farlan yelled again. Kiara turned around, desperately trying to see what was going on. She could barely make out Farlan in the grasp of another titan.

Kiara growled and jumped off the titan. She wouldn't get anywhere near the nape of the titan's neck at this rate and she had to try saving Farlan.

As she fell through the air, a hand caught her around her torso, enveloping her. A scream tore itself out of her throat as the titan's grip squeezed her. She felt as if the life was being crushed out of her. The scream ended in a choking gasp as she felt herself losing consciousness.

"Levi!" Kiara screamed, watching as Farlan was bitten in half in horror. The pressure around her lessened just as she her world faded to black.


	8. See You Again: Part 2

AN: Carry on with the feels. As always, reviews are much appreciated. They encourage me to keep going and to try harder. Thanks for reading!

* * *

 _"It's been a long day, without you my friend. I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. We've come a long way from where we began. I'll tell you all about it when I see you again." -Wiz Khalifa_

Levi was damn near certain he was going to kill his horse with how fast he was urging the animal. He had been on his way to kill Erwin when he had run across a massacre. Titans had gotten to the squad separating Erwin's squad from his... and the direction of the tracks were heading toward his squad- toward Farlan, Kiara, and Isabel.

He couldn't ride fast enough. He had to get to his family. From the number of tracks, he estimated five titans. There was no way they could deal with all of them on their own. They probably wouldn't even see the titans in this rain until it was too late.

He saw Farlan first being raised to a giant mouth. He watched in horror as Farlan raised a hand and smiled at him as if saying goodbye as a scream tore through the air.

"Levi!" A girl who could only be Kiara screamed from somewhere above him as Farlan was placed into the titan's mouth head first. There was no way he would make it in time.

The titan's jaws closed around Farlan. Levi wasn't sure if he screamed as he finally reached the titan and took to the air. He ripped open the titan's throat and pulled his friend out of him. He only took a moment to set Farlan on the ground before his murderous gaze settled on a titan raising someone else to its mouth. Levi promptly cut off the titan's hand, watching as the hand fell.

A shock of red hair was all he could make out from the top of the titan's hand. Kiara. He dropped beside her, his jaw clenching when he realized she was completely still.

His eyes fell on a another redhead... just a head. That was all that was left of Isabel. Fury filled him. These titans were as good as dead.

* * *

Kiara groaned as she woke up. She felt like she could hardly breathe passed the pain in her chest. "L-Levi?" she gasped, struggling against the deteriorating hand wrapped around her. "Farlan? Isabel?" After years of disuse, her voice was cracked and hoarse.

She had to save her family. Kiara barely managed to open her eyes as she pushed her way out of the hand, stumbling and falling into mud.

Suddenly, there was a pair of human arms wrapping around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. She recognized those arms immediately. "Levi, where are they?" she moaned, her hand reaching up to grab his cloak. She didn't care that he was holding her so tightly she could barely breathe or that the pain in her ribs had intensified.

"Isabel and Farlan.. They died," he murmured, "I thought you were dead too. You weren't moving."

Kiara blinked up at him, feeling cold. Isabel and Farlan couldn't be dead.. but she knew it was true. Kiara wrapped her arms around his shoulders, ignoring the pain in her ribs as she remembered Isabel's choked off scream and seeing Farlan get eaten. Her blood was running cold through her body.

She frowned as she felt someone kneel beside them and hands gently prying her way from Levi.

"I'm just checking your injuries," Erwin said gently, checking her limbs for broken bones and lacerations. He checked her ribs next and she hissed in pain. "I think they're only bruised. I don't feel any broken ribs. We'll have Hange look you over at headquarters. You and Levi will join our squad until we get back."

Erwin continued to inspect her, but found no other obvious injuries. "Just be careful until we get back," he murmured. "You and Levi are all that's left of Flagon's squad."

Kiara nodded slowly as Levi picked her up. "Is... Is there anything left of them?" she asked, wiping rain and tears out of her eyes.

Levi hesitated before nodding once. He carried her over to what little remained of Isabel and Farlan, letting her see them.

"Isabel's necklace and hair ties," she mumbled, "Farlan's earrings and his wings patch."

Levi looked at Kiara before kneeling beside Isabel's head and Farlan's upper body. He set Kiara down and gathered the items she had named. He swallowed hard as he cut off the scouting patch from Farlan's breast pocket. He knew what Kiara was doing. She wanted them each to have something to remember their family by.

Kiara kissed Farlan's forehead and then Isabel's, silently saying goodbye to the two people she had considered her brother and sister. Her hands ran through their hair, watching Levi perform the task she had given him.

When he was done, he stuffed the items in his pocket, hoping that Kyori's squad hadn't run into trouble. He picked Kiara up again, letting Mike, Erwin's second in command, help him situate her on his horse. He climbed up behind her and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist.

"Kiara, are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but one he couldn't help asking.

"No," she groaned as they started moving. The movement of the horse didn't feel 'okay' on her ribs... nor did the broken feeling in heart.

Levi sighed, resting his chin on her shoulder as she slumped against him. "You're speaking again. Are you fully conscious?"

Kiara frowned, her hand moving to her throat. "Yes.. I don't understand either.. what do you mean by fully conscious?" she asked raggedly, breathing passed the pain in her chest.

There was a moment of hesitation before he answered. "When you have nightmares... you get pretty vocal. Screaming. Calling out for me. Crying."

"So.. I talk in my sleep?" she mumbled, looking confused.

He nodded. "I think.. that not being able speak was mostly in your head brought on when you were assaulted. I heard that creepy woman Hange talk to Kyori about it... Apparently, sometimes after a...traumatic event people can lose control over certain parts of their body.. like walking.. or speech."

"But I got over that years ago..." Kiara blinked, clearing her throat. "Shouldn't my voice have come back then?"

"Have you tried speaking since?" Levi furrowed his eyebrows.

"No... You're right... I haven't tried speaking at all in years."

"You were forced to use your voice today though.. I heard you scream my name before I cut off that titan's hand. I think.. The pain and fear you felt was so primitive that you needed to use your voice."

Kiara swallowed, biting her lower lip. "Maybe you're right... I was so scared when I saw Farlan in that titan's mouth.. I couldn't escape. I was hoping you were close enough to save him."

Levi furrowed his eyebrows. "I was too late... Weren't you afraid of being eaten too?"

"In a way, I think of part of me was scared of being eaten... but I'm not afraid to die. I'm more afraid of losing people I love... I hope Kyori is okay."

Levi sighed softly. Of course Kiara would say that. The girl lacked self preservation; it was infuriating. "I understand.. We'll find out as soon as we reach the wall. It's going to be to awhile yet..."

Kiara frowned, going quiet. It felt weird to speak a lot now after having been silent for over four years. Her voice was rough and dry sounding. Her thoughts wandered to her twin. Hopefully, she was alive...

"Was this your nightmare?"

Kiara flinched and gasped in pain before nodding.

"I'm sorry that I didn't take it seriously." Levi scowled. He should have paid more attention. Hadn't Kyori said on the first day they met that Kiara had sharp intuition? He had brushed it off at the time, but now... He was such an idiot. Kiara had flat out told him that he went MIA in her nightmare last night and what had he done? Gone off to try to kill Erwin on his own. It had been a fucking fool's errand too... and now Isabel and Farlan and their unborn child were devoured.

"It wasn't your fault... No one would have thought to take a nightmare seriously." Kiara rested her head on his shoulder, looking over at him. "I didn't even think it would really happen... It wasn't you who killed them, Levi. It was the titans... Remember what you told me the night I was raped?"

Levi stiffened around her, his jaw clenching. He didn't answer her.

"You told me I could either wallow in what had happened or I could let it make me stronger... It's the same principle, Levi... We need to grieve them, but they wouldn't want you to blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. We need to grow stronger and not let their deaths be in vain, right?" Kiara's voice cracked at the end. She lowered her head, hiding her tears behind her hair. She hated crying- hated feeling so weak. She hadn't even cried after she was raped or when Levi had told her Runt had died. She had grieved their dog with dry eyes as Kyori had sobbed against her. This time, she couldn't help the tears streaming down her face.

Levi's hand came up brushed her tears away, but they were quickly replaced with fresh ones. Kiara wrapped her hands around his hand as it fell against her stomach again.

"How can you be so... wise?" Levi grumbled.

"I'm not... I'm just repeating your words... But if we lose ourselves... If we lose hope... What have we got?" Kiara kept her face hidden by her deep red hair, not wanting anyone to see her tears.

Levi paused, fighting the impulse to hug her tighter only because her ragged breathing reminded him that she was injured. "I... I don't know," he muttered.

They lapsed into silence as Kiara cried quietly. If anyone else noticed that the young woman was crying, they were tactful enough to not mention it. After awhile, Kiara cried herself out. It wouldn't be the last time she mourned her family, she knew, but for now, the tears had stopped.

"What happened to the plan?" she asked softly, so quietly only Levi could hear her.

"Erwin knew the whole time. He used us. The plans have changed..." Levi sighed. "I'm thinking.. about joining the scouts. For real."

Kiara paused, looking up at him. "Then, I will too. I want to help them.. at the very least for Isabel.. she wanted them to continue fighting... and I'm not letting you join alone."

Levi nodded, absently brushing rain off her face as it finally let up to a sprinkle. He had expected nothing less from her. He knew she wouldn't be dissuaded from that decision either.

"You need to rest. As much as I enjoy hearing your voice again, I think you should stop talking and sleep. I'll wake you up later." Levi's cool hand covered her eyes, blocking the light.

"Wake me up at the first sign of trouble," Kiara rasped quietly, sounding reluctant.

Levi nodded, but knew if he could avoid it, he wouldn't be waking her at all, not with her injuries.

It took a long time, but Kiara eventually relaxed in his embrace and he felt her fall asleep. Once she was sleeping, he slipped Isabel's necklace around her neck. The ring on the end of it settled over her shirt, between her collar bones. He would give her one of Farlan's earrings later.

* * *

"Levi! Kiara!" Kyori shouted when she saw them safely inside Wall Maria. She pulled her horse up beside them and looked around for Isabel and Farlan.

"Oh no.. Don't tell me..." Kyori swallowed hard as she realized that two of their family members were missing.

"Isabel and Farlan were killed by titans," Levi muttered. "Don't be loud. Kiara's sleeping... she needs rest."

"Fuck.. I was hoping..." Kyori sighed, blinking tears out of her eyes.

"Hoping what?" Levi dug one of Farlan's earrings and one of Isabel's hair ties out of his pocket and handed them to Kyori. "They belonged to Farlan and Isabel."

"I was hoping this wasn't a precognitive dream.. Kiara sometimes, very rarely, has dreams that turn out to be true.. I was hoping this wasn't one of them." Kyori accepted the earring and hair tie. She placed the earring in her pocket. She would pierce her ear later. The hair tie went around her wrist.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Levi growled. Kyori's strange look last night when Kiara had had her nightmare suddenly made sense.

"What happened?" Kyori demanded, ignoring him.

"When the rain hit, I broke away from the group to try getting the document and killing Erwin. On the way to him, I ran into another squad that had been massacred by titans. The footprints led toward my squad. I turned around, but I was too late to save anyone except Kiara." Levi swallowed harshly. "I thought she was dead until she interrupted me killing Erwin... Well, his fucking lecture as I held my blade to his throat."

"So, is our mission over?" Kyori frowned. She was certain she had seen Erwin earlier.

"Yes.. Kiara and I are joining this shitty military. It was all a set up by that fucking giant. He knew we were after him and used us. That document is already in the hands of the authorities." Levi tensed, remembering how hard Farlan had tried to recover that document. "I imagine Nicolas Lovof is in prison as we speak."

Kyori frowned faintly before nodding. "So, we're joining the Survey Corps for real then. This should be interesting... Kiara did want to help these people. She's getting her wish... but Isabel and Farlan... they were going to be married tomorrow... and the baby." Kyori's voice cracked.

"I know... I know. I should have been there." Levi held Kiara a little closer. She stirred slightly and groaned in her sleep.

"Yeah, you should have stayed with them," Kyori growled softly, "but that's something that can't be changed now... and it's not like you knew titans would attack. It was the titans that really killed Farlan and Isabel... I'm going to kill them all."

"I already killed the ones responsible for killing them and injuring Kiara," Levi said tightly.

"Kiara's actually injured?" Kyori's eyes widened slightly. "How?!"

"She was being crushed in a titan's hand... Just like she fucking predicted. When I arrived Isabel was already dead. Farlan had just been bitten in half, I tore him out of the titan's throat and I heard Kiara scream. I saw a titan with its fist closed and I cut off its hand before killing it. Erwin checked her for injuries. He said she has bruised ribs or some shit." Levi gently brushed his fingers over her abdomen.

"I take it at that point, you realized Kiara's dream was real considering you went for taking off the titan's hand..." Kyori ran her fingers through her long hair.

"I don't know what I thought.. I just remember operating out of a need for revenge... I didn't even know for sure if it was her. All I saw were legs dangling from the hand..." Levi swallowed, putting Isabel's other hair tie around his wrist and clenching Farlan's patch in his hand.

"So, you saved whoever you could... and that was only Kiara.. I'm sorry if what I said was harsh... I am just pissed that they are gone... I took it out on you. I bet you're hurting just as much if not more..." Kyori bit her lip before sighing. "I can't believe they are gone."

Levi only nodded, slipping his arm around Kiara again as they turned down a street.

* * *

Levi didn't wake Kiara up until they had returned safely to the Survey Corps headquarters. He only woke her then because they had to get off the horse and he wanted her conscious for it.

"Kyori, help me get her down," Levi said, holding onto her as Kiara blinked tiredly.

Kyori held up her hands as Kiara slipped off the horse and into her arms. Kiara winced slightly as her sister's hands accidentally brushed her ribs and buried her face in Kyori's neck.

"Kyori, please be gentle," Kiara rasped, her fingers clenching in her sister's cloak.

"I'm trying," Kyori grumbled before freezing.

Something Levi had intentionally neglected to tell Kyori was that Kiara had found her voice again.

"Kiara.. Did you just speak?"

Kiara blinked at her sister wearily as Levi stepped up beside them. "Don't get too excited. I'm in a lot of pain," Kiara mumbled, nuzzling her neck.

Hange, who was lingering nearby, frowned. "Get to your dorm. I'll have Kyori come by with some medicine for you in a bit. Then, I'll check you over. It's bruised ribs, right? Erwin told me. I won't know if there's any other damage until I check you over, but I need to see to someone else first. Her leg has been bitten off."

Kiara looked up at Hange, trying to keep up with her fast way of talking. "I'll make sure she rests," Levi said after a second of silence.

"Great." Hange flung her arm around Kyori as Levi picked Kiara up.

"Do you really need to carry me?" Kiara mumbled halfheartedly, her arms wrapping around his shoulders.

"Do you really think you can walk? This way will be less painful for you." Levi rolled his eyes, walking through the headquarters towards their dorm.

Kiara buried her face in his neck, hiding her pained expression as they walked up a flight of stairs. He was right. She wouldn't be able to handle this on her own for awhile. Even while being carried, the jostling caused enough pain to make her vision go black momentarily.

"We're almost there. Do you want to bathe first?"

Kiara hesitated. On one hand, she didn't think she could handle bathing alone with all of the pain she was in and Isabel wasn't there to bathe with her -her heart broke a little more with the loss of her older sister. On the other, she felt gross from the rain and mud and she hadn't bathed yesterday... Plus she had doused herself in titan blood yesterday. Even if it had evaporated, it was still disgusting.

"A bath sounds nice." She closed her eyes. "I don't think I can manage it without drowning though."

"I'll help you, brat." Levi rolled his eyes, tugging on Kiara's hair lightly. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Kiara flushed, raising her head to look at his face. "When did you help me bathe before?"

Levi raised an eyebrow at her. "After you were assaulted. You were covered in things I don't want to say from the rapists. I didn't want you to wake up like that, so I bathed you."

Kiara blinked, her mouth parting slightly in surprise. She had never actually questioned how she had woken up clean and in fresh clothes after she was raped before. It hadn't seemed important... but of course Levi wouldn't want her to wake up dirty like that.

"Do you want me to help you or not?" Levi tugged on her hair again.

Kiara hid her blushing face against his neck before nodding once. "I want to wear a towel though."

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Alright."

He carried her to a bathing room and sat Kiara on the edge of the bathtub.

"I'm going to go get some clean clothes for you. I'll be right back." Levi ran his fingers gently over her face.

Kiara nodded and carefully plugged the tub before turning the water on. She breathed carefully around the pain in her chest and took off her muddy cloak and chakrams.

Levi came back then with a few towels, one of Farlan's shirts, and a clean pair of underwear for her. He sighed when he saw Kiara struggling with her clothes. She couldn't bend over to take off her boots and even her jacket was causing her problems.

"I won't look." Levi knelt beside her and helped her slide the jacket of her shoulders. He was glad she wasn't wearing 3DMG or the harness the gear equipped to. He quickly rid her of the rest of her weapons -a sword and some knives- and boots before helping her stand up.

Kiara leaned on Levi as she worked her pants and underwear off as far as she could. When the tenth pained breath left her, Levi lost his patience. He closed his eyes and knelt down, pulling her pants and underwear down to her ankles. He felt her sit down and lift her legs slightly. Taking the cue, he pulled them the rest of the way off.

"Are you okay so far?" he asked, looking up at her embarrassed face.

"Just feeling humiliated," she mumbled, her fingers falling to the buttons of her shirt.

"There's no reason to be." He grabbed one of towels, ready to wrap it around her body. When she was finished with the buttons, he slid the shirt off her shoulders and helped wrap the towel around her, but not before seeing the dark bruise that covered her torso and hips. It wrapped around her body leaving most of her various shades of purple and red. Her knees were turning a nasty shade of violet as well. He felt them quickly, but aside from minor swelling, they didn't seem damaged.

Levi quickly covered her, seeing her horrified face as she took in how badly she was injured.

Kiara turned, getting into the bathwater hastily and hissing in pain.

"Kiara... Take it easy, okay?" Levi frowned, taking off his own jacket and rolling up his sleeves.

"Sorry," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

Levi sighed and cupped the water in his hands, pouring it over her head. He repeated the action until her hair was thoroughly wet. When it was, he lathered soap in his hands and washed her hair gently.

"Can you lean back?" he asked, glad to see Kiara wasn't blushing anymore. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying her hair being washed.

Kiara looked up at him before leaning backwards, wincing slightly. He supported her with his arm and rinsed the soap out of her hair.

"Your hands feel really nice," Kiara murmured, as his hand worked the soap out of her hair.

He paused for a second, looking down at her. Not for the first time, he was tempted to say fuck it and just ask her to be his, but they had just lost Farlan and Isabel. He didn't want grief to be the reason that they got together.

"How do you feel about piercing your ear?" he asked instead, sighing as he finished with her hair.

Kiara looked up at him, her fingers going to Isabel's necklace. "If you are the one who does it, I'll be okay. I trust you to do a clean job of it."

"Do you want to do it sooner or wait until you are healed?" He helped her sit up again. Levi ran the soap over her legs and arms before working it over her back under the towel. Even being as gentle as possible, he heard her whimpering in pain.

"Tonight, if we can," she grit out, loosening the towel so Levi had more room to work.

"Alright... We're almost done," he murmured, handing her the soap so she could wash her front and between her legs. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, supporting her. It took her awhile to clean herself.

"I'm finished."

He picked her up out of the bath and helped her trade her soaking towel for a dry one. "Okay?" he asked, draining the filthy water as Kiara sat back down on the tub.

"Yeah.. I can't really say I've had worse, but I can handle it." Kiara looked up at him, her soaking wet hair sticking to her face.

Levi turned his attention to drying her hair, using his fingers in place of a comb. "Six more years," he murmured, more to himself than anything, but going by the way her ears turned red, she had heard him. He sat beside her on the tub.

Kiara gave a small nod, her heart hammering. "It's not that long, right?" She murmured, looking back at him slowly.

Levi shook his head, pressing his lips to the corner of her mouth before he could think about it.

Kiara's face turned as red as her hair. He ran his fingers through her hair as she looked up at him with her pupils blown wide.

"Not after emotional trauma?" she asked, her eyes dropping to his mouth.

Levi watched her carefully before sighing. "I think an exception can be made right now," he murmured.

Kiara looked taken aback, but Levi didn't give her time to process his words before kissing her.

Kiara made a small noise of surprise, but she returned the kiss immediately, her fingers fisting into her towel. Levi moved to kneel in front of her, not breaking the kiss. He didn't want her to move too much with how much pain she was in.

Kiara wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders, drawing his lower lip into her mouth to nibble on it lightly. She would have smirked when she heard him moan softly... if her mouth hadn't been so preoccupied.

Levi forced himself to pull away before she could get hurt or could lose her breath, resting his forehead on hers. "Where and when in the hell did you learn how to kiss?" he breathed, remembering how the second time they had kissed, she had been completely inexperienced.

She blushed brightly, looking down. "When I was sixteen. I asked Isabel for advice. She taught me how to kiss properly," she mumbled.

Levi blinked, staring at Kiara. "You kissed Isabel? Or did she just tell you what to do?" he asked slowly. Knowing how eccentric Isabel was...

"She kissed me." Kiara bit her lip, looking so adorable that Levi kissed her again gently. "That was the night.. You, ah.. Touched me."

"Sounds like something Isabel would do," he mumbled, pulling away and sitting beside her again. That also answered one of his questions from that night. He had never understood why Kiara had been so aroused.. but if Isabel had been making out with her beforehand... he shook his head slightly.

Kiara quirked her lips slightly. "Yeah.. She is -was- very impulsive." Her smiled turned into a sigh of regret.

Levi frowned and went back to drying her hair. Once he was finished, he kissed the top of her head before helping her dry off.

"Lets get you dressed and then you can sleep."

Kiara nodded once and rested her head on his shoulder as he carefully helped her put on her underwear and the clean shirt. It was one of Farlan's she realized with a bit of pain, but it was way too big and it didn't constrict her ribs at all.

Levi tossed Kiara's dirty clothes into the hamper before pulling out Farlan's patch and earring from his discarded jacket. He tossed his own jacket in the hamper as well.

"Are you sure you want to pierce your ear tonight?" Levi glanced at her. "Getting an infection won't help you heal."

"We'll keep it clean." Kiara nodded her head tightly. "Now, please?"

Levi sighed and found antiseptic. He washed his hands thoroughly. Then, he cleaned the earring first with the antiseptic and then found a needle for suturing in the first aid supplies. He cleaned that next and set it and the earring on a sterile cloth. He carefully set the items beside Kiara on the edge of the bathtub.

"Which ear?" Levi asked, looking up at Kiara as he knelt on the floor.

"Um... Left," she finally mumbled.

"This is going to hurt," he warned, cleaning her ear thoroughly.

"I know." It couldn't hurt worse than her heart though. "Just be quick, okay."

Levi nodded and took the needle and earring, cleaning them again. He carefully positioned the needle before pressing it through her earlobe swiftly. He followed up with earring immediately, having to force it slightly because the needle had been smaller than the earring.

Kiara barely flinched as she was pierced. She kept her eyes closed and held the picture of Farlan and Isabel in her mind as she felt the slight burning sensation in her ear. When Levi had clasped the earring in place, she felt him clean up the blood dripping down her ear.

"Thank you," she mumbled in a strained voice. "Can we go to bed now?"

"Yes, of course." Levi disposed of the needle and bloody cloth he had used to mop up her ear. He picked her up again and made his way to their dorm. Kiara sighed comfortably and kissed his shoulder tiredly.

Once they were in their dorm, Levi set her in their bed and covered her with their blanket.

"Thank fuck.. It feels so good to lay down again."

Levi sat beside her, propped against the wall, just as Kyori came in. "Hange made these tonics. One is for pain and the other is for inflammation... Can you sit up?" Kyori asked, holding two small flasks.

Kiara groaned, shaking her head. "Do I need to take them now?" she asked, pouting at her sister.

Kyori hesitated before nodding. "Not the pain one, but she said the other one should be taken as soon as possible."

Levi frowned slightly. He didn't want to ask Kiara to sit up again after having seen how bruised she was... and there was the fact that she had just laid down.

"Is she supposed to drink the whole thing?" he asked, holding out his hand for the flasks.

Kyori nodded, handing over the tonics. "I'm going to bring more later."

Levi looked down at Kiara, hesitating, but they had already broken his rule today. He opened the first flask. "Open your mouth," he ordered, pouring the first bitter liquid into his own mouth.

Kiara opened her mouth obediently just as Levi's lips covered hers. She heard Kyori making a flabbergasted noise as a bitter liquid passed into her mouth. She swallowed it obediently and felt Levi's lips leave hers for a moment before they were back. The liquid that slipped into her mouth this time was just as bitter, but it tasted cold, confusing her. It tingled down her throat as she swallowed it.

Levi sat up again, raising his eyebrow at Kyori who was staring at them stunned. "Problem?" he asked, leaning against the wall again.

"I just wasn't expecting you to actually finally start dating," Kyori managed after a moment.

"Its not like that," Kiara protested immediately, flushing.

"Yet," Levi muttered, making her blush deepen.

Kyori shook her head. "Idiot couple," she grumbled. "Just remember, I'll kill you if you hurt her."

"Noted," Levi answered dryly, his fingers playing with Kiara's hair absently. "When will Hange be here?"

"In a few minutes, I think. She's almost done tending to the other scout." Kyori's eyes followed Kiara's movement when the older twin reached up to fondle her ear.

"I see you got Farlan's other earring. I'm doing my right ear." Kyori gave her sister a small smile.

"Levi pierced it after my bath," Kiara mumbled. "So, you kept the patch?"

Levi nodded shortly. "It felt right to keep that one. I have one of Isabel's hair ties as well. Kyori has the other hair tie and earring."

Kiara fumbled with the necklace she was wearing. Isabel's necklace and the ring Isabel had gotten from her grandfather. It was a simple silvery chain and the ring was almost white with a small greenish-blue stone that reminded her of Isabel's eyes. Kiara sighed softly, playing with ring absently.

"Don't play with the earring too much yet," Kyori advised, "Only twist it about once a day at first and try to keep it clean. Antiseptic two or three times a day would be best."

"Are you piercing your ear too?" Kiara asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah. I asked Hange to do it tonight before bed." Kyori sat on the floor beside their bed, taking Kiara's hand absently. "I'm glad we have things to remember them by. I mean... I know we have a ton of their stuff... but this is nice."

"I agree... Kiara thought of it Farlan's earrings came from his mother. I'm glad we didn't leave them or Isabel's necklace behind."

"Kiara's always trying to take care of us," Kyori snorted, kissing her sister's hand. "I'm glad too though."

Kiara rolled her eyes. "I do not... I just... felt lonely when I realized that I would never see them again."

Levi's lips thinned as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Nonetheless, you thought of all of us in that moment of loneliness. I didn't think of taking anything to remember them by," he muttered.

"Levi... You were in a state of anger and trauma," Kiara mumbled, sighing.

Kyori opened her mouth as Hange walked in, speckled with blood. "Alright, lets see what is going on with calmer version of Kyori," Hange said, stretching her muscles before kneeling beside Kiara. "I'm gonna need to lift your shirt and move you around a bit."

Kiara held back a petulant groan before nodding once. She couldn't really do much about it and didn't want to waste time arguing. "Levi... Can you.." She trailed off embarrassedly.

"Hold my hand if you need something to squeeze," Levi sighed and closed his eyes, angling his chin upward.

Kiara took his hand right away as Hange pulled the blanket back. Kiara bit her lip as her shirt was pushed up, holding back a whimper at even the lightest touch.

Once her injuries were exposed, Hange began to gently prod around her ribs and abdomen, trying to feel any swelling or anything unusual. She listened to her heart and lungs through a stethoscope. "So far, so good... I need to check your back now if you don't mind."

Kiara nodded, squeezing Levi's hand hard as she was rolled onto her side. The only noises she let out were ragged breaths, refusing to whimper or cry when Isabel and Farlan were dead. She could endure this after she had failed them.

Levi might blame himself, but despite her speech earlier, she felt like she was truly to blame. She had been right there. She could take out titans without 3DMG... and yet she hadn't been able to save either of her loved ones. She knew it wasn't healthy to blame herself or to feel like she deserved all the pain she got... but she needed it right now. She needed to feel as though she was being punished, otherwise she wouldn't be able to live with herself after letting down her siblings.

When Hange was finally finished checking her entire body for injuries, the woman sat back on her heels. "Well, I didn't notice anything abnormal. If you start vomiting blood or have bloody or black shit though, tell me. Those are signs of internal bleeding. Thankfully, I didn't hear fluid in your lungs or anything though. I think you'll be in the clear with plenty of rest and medicine."

Kiara fumbled with her shirt, pulling it down. "I'll... make sure to do that."

"I know you will, sweetie! Kyori and Levi are probably going to be watching you like a hawk!" Hange hugged Kyori who groaned and jerked away from her.

"I bet they will," Kiara sighed, tugging on Levi's hand to let him know she was decent again.

"Oh, besides medicine and rest, you should practice taking deep breaths once a day at least. Its gonna hurt, but it will help reduce complications." Hange stood up and brushed off her hands on her coat. "Try to stay hydrated and eat. You need to keep your strength up."

Kiara nodded slowly, sighing shallowly. This was going to be a long recovery period.

Hange picked Kyori up and smiled with an almost crazed look in her eyes. "Now, my lovely ball of rage, I need you to help me make more medicine."

"Wha-" Kyori didn't have time to formulate a response as Hange carried her out of the room.

When they were finally alone, Levi glanced down at Kiara who was watching him wearily. "What?"

"Just wondering if you were antagonizing my sister or... Well.. When you said 'yet'," she mumbled, looking at him curiously.

At first, he wasn't sure what Kiara was talking about. 'Yet'... when had he said that? Oh, after Kiara had denied them being in a relationship. "I wasn't just antagonizing her," he said after a moment.

Kiara blinked before closing her eyes. "I see."

"Patience is a virtue," Levi murmured, frowning slightly. He was starting to have misgivings about them being in a relationship at all while in the Survey Corps. It was dangerous. If he slipped up or Kiara did because of a relationship... One wrong move was all it would take for someone to be killed. He couldn't imagine _not_ being with with her though. He had some shit he had to sort out in his head.

* * *

Kiara spent most of her time sleeping. She only woke up when Levi and Kyori insisted on her eating, drinking, or taking medicine. The medicine Hange was giving her kept her exhausted. Kyori would carry her to the bathroom whenever she needed to use a toilet and to help her bathe.

Kiara's ribs didn't hurt as much, but the bruising had darkened. Hange said that was normal and the bruising would get worse before it got better, but Kiara hated to see herself anyways.

When she was sleeping, her breathing was so shallow and ragged, Levi didn't sleep at all the first few days. He was too worried about her breathing stopping all together or her having a nightmare.

"Alright. That's enough," Kyori said angrily after the third night, "If Kiara wakes up and sees you in this state, she's going to worry herself sick."

"What do you propose I do then?" Levi all but growled. "What if she needs me or stops breathing?"

"We'll take it in shifts. I'm better at medical stuff anyways." Kyori shoved him out of the bed. "Go take a fucking bath. You've only left her side to shit since she fell asleep."

Levi's lips twisted in a frown, glaring at Kyori. "How can I leave her? She nearly died because of me," he hissed back.

Kyori smacked him right across the face and dragged him into the hall. It was proof that she was right about his lack of sleeping that he couldn't struggle much against her. He was too exhausted.

Kyori shoved him right against the wall, her arm across his throat. "Listen and listen well, Levi. You have been like an older brother to Isabel and myself for years. You have been Farlan's best friend for years longer than that. He told me he saw you as brother. As for Kiara... God, it's painfully obvious that she's in love with you. Tell me something. Do you think any of us, who love you so damn much, blame you for what happened?" she demanded.

Levi glared back at Kyori, thinning his lips.

"Not going to answer, are you?" Kyori sneered. "You fucking dumbass. Isabel and Farlan are gone, but it's not your fucking fault and neither of them would want you blaming yourself. They would be pissed if they saw you like this."

"That doesn't change the fact that they are dead! I should have been there! I made the wrong choice!" Levi shouted.

"So, you made a bad call! That's what happens sometimes! Regret is dirt! Brush it off! Learn from it! Hold your head fucking high because if you don't, you're going to keep on making choices you regret!"

"What does it fucking matter if I want to bury myself in this regret?!"

"Because my sister is still in your fucking squad," she growled dangerously, "If she ends up dead because you couldn't pull your head out of your ass and get your goddamn shit together, I will fucking kill you myself."

Levi opened his mouth to retort, but no words came out. He clenched his fists at his sides.

"Kiara isn't dead, Levi. She's lying in that room with only bruised ribs. She needs you to get your head in the game and to take care of yourself. I can guarantee you that she's blaming herself just as much as you are... and if you can't stop blaming yourself, you aren't going to be able to help her," Kyori said more gently. "Now, go clean up. I'll keep an eye on my sister."

Levi nodded tensely and Kyori sighed softly. She let him go and went back into the dorm. She sat down beside her sister and took Kiara's hand. "This why I love Hange... She's doesn't let anything hold her back or daunt her. She's like a fucking breath of fresh air," Kyori told her sleeping sister tiredly.


	9. Reluctant Heroes

AN: To be honest, I'm kind of not all that confident about this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. Updates will be a little less often now because the end of the semester is near and I'm preparing to move and getting ready to transfer colleges. I'll try to update next week. Also, bear in mind, I am neither a doctor, nor a scientist, so as far as that goes, I do my best researching facts, but this takes place in a completely different time than the one we live in. Gathering facts is pretty hard. As a final thought, I highly recommend you all check out Amalee's cover of Reluctant Heroes. It's beautiful.

Shout out to AuroraStargazers who honestly has been making me blush with her amazing reviews. Seriously, they make me so happy that I'm eager to keep updating and writing!

* * *

 _"It was like a nightmare and it's pain for me because nobody wants to die too fast. Remember the day of grief, now it's strange for me. I could see your face. I could hear your voice." -Amalee_

Light shining on Kiara's face woke the teenager up. She had been out of it for the better part of two weeks now. She wanted to ask Hange if there was any pain relief tonics that wouldn't make her drowsy, but she was sure there wasn't. Levi or Kyori would have already asked by now. She turned her head, blinking blearily at the person she was sleeping against. It was Kyori this time.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Kyori asked, glancing at the tonics on the table.

"Like a bloody log..." Kiara winced as she tried stretching her muscles.

"As soon as you feel like it, you can stop taking the pain medicine. You'll be lucid for more than a few hours at a time then..." Kyori sighed, lifting Kiara's shirt. Two weeks later and the bruises covering her sister were still as dark as ever. Apparently, it wasn't a good sign that the bruising was more than internal. Hange had told her that bruised ribs rarely showed the bruise outwardly to this extent. Usually it was the muscles connecting the ribs that bruised... But Kiara hadn't just suffered bruised ribs. The titan that had hurt her had been clearly trying to crush her first before eating her.

Kiara looked at the tonic doubtfully. She didn't want to be taking it, but the pain in her chest was still intense. "I'll hold off until I can't handle it anymore..." she finally mumbled. "I.. would like a notebook.. a lot of them... and a pen. Do you think we can get those?"

"Consider it done." Levi came up to the bed, sitting on the foot of it. "Erwin will get you as many blank books as you need."

Kiara blinked, looking up at him. "But..." she began.

"He owes us." Levi shrugged, tousling Kiara's hair. "Why do you want them?"

Kiara hesitated, chewing her lip. "Ah.. Well, I kind of wanted to write about Isabel and Farlan... And Flagon and Sayram... I want to write about them all. To document their lives or at least put something in writing to help their memory stay alive." Kiara swallowed nervously. "I also want a list of people who went missing or died on the last mission."

Levi and Kyori stared at her for a long moment. "Will this help you grieve?" Kyori asked gently.

"I think it will help me keep going," Kiara mumbled.

"I'll go get the things you need from Captain Eyebrows." Levi stood up quickly.

"Thank you," Kiara murmured, looking up at him with a small smile.

Levi nodded shortly and quickly left the dorm. He made his way to Erwin's office as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself. When he was arrived, he burst in unceremoniously.

"Levi," Erwin greeted, looking only faintly startled. "Come in."

"I already am 'in'," Levi groused, folding his arms.

"What can I do for you?" Erwin visibly suppressed a sigh.

"I need blank books. A lot of them. And pens," Levi answered without preamble.

"Why on earth... Blank books? Are you planning on becoming a writer or something?" Erwin blinked at him slowly.

"It's for Kiara. She thinks writing about our squad will help her to 'keep going'." Levi frowned impatiently. "I don't want shitty little books like the ones Hange takes notes in either. I would like her to have something nice for once in her life."

"I assume she is depressed?" Erwin stood up and went to his bookshelf. Most of the books were records, but he had quite a few blank books to record things himself.

"What do you think?" Levi glared, watching Erwin carefully. He still didn't trust the man.

"I'm thinking that I'm truly sorry for your loss." Erwin sighed softly, selecting four thick blank books. He turned back to Levi and walked around his desk, setting the books down beside him on a table. "So, just those and pens?"

"No. Kiara also wants a copy of the dead and missing. I think she intends to write about all the soldiers who were lost on the last mission." Levi kept his posture rigidly straight as Erwin's thick eyebrows furrowed.

"I was actually just going over that list now. If you want to copy it, feel free." Erwin went back to his desk and pulled out a piece of paper. "Actually.. I'll do it. It will only take a few minutes."

Levi blinked once and turned his attention to the books Erwin had left next to him. "I hope she's not planning on doing this after every mission. She's going to fill these in no time if she does."

"Then, I'll get her more. Just keep me updated if she starts getting low on supplies." Erwin shrugged, copying the list in neat scrawl.

"Why? I expected you pitch a fit because of the cost or some other stupid shit," Levi responded icily.

"Kiara is a good woman. I believe her heart is in the right place. This line of work... It's terrifying sometimes, not because of what is waiting to eat you, but because you think about every single person who could die out there. People you can't protect. People who are being told to die. You don't know who is going to make it home... or which friends you are going to lose. That's the hard part. You all just lost three members of your family. The grief of that must be terrible. So, if Kiara thinks that this will help... it's well within my power to give."

"Sounds like guilt to me." Levi trailed his fingers over the leather bound books sitting on the table beside him.

"I don't feel guilty, Levi." Erwin sighed, not looking up from his task. "I sympathize with the loss. I may not know why Kiara has a bad feeling about me, but I swear, I'm not actually a bad person. At least, I try to be a good person."

Levi clicked his tongue, trying to stay frustrated, but it was hard. Erwin sounded so earnest. He would have to ask Kiara what her bad feeling was later. "We'll see about that."

"Yes, we will." Erwin stood up and walked around his desk with the piece of parchment containing a list of the dead and missing from their last mission. He handed the list to Levi along with a couple of pens.

"Let me know if Kiara, Kyori, or you need anything else." Erwin frowned faintly as Levi took the items with a tight nod.

"Will do, Captain Eyebrows." Levi saluted sarcastically and scooped the books up into his arms before leaving.

Erwin blinked after him, his fingers going up to his eyebrows in confusion.

* * *

By the time Levi returned to the dorms, Kiara had dozed off in Kyori's arms. They were propped against the wall, with Kiara's face buried in her sister's chest.

"She's still in too much pain." Kyori sighed. "She ended up taking her pain killer soon after you left..."

"Is she trying to stop already?" Levi put his load down on the little table next to their bunk.

"Well, she's trying to avoid taking it as long as possible. She doesn't seem to like spending so much time asleep." Kyori shrugged, eyeing the books. "Those look expensive..."

"Erwin is eager to help." Levi turned his cold gaze to the books.

"You didn't threaten him?" Kyori raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Actually, no. I didn't. I just asked him for blank books, pens, and the list. He gave them over quite willingly when he found out why Kiara wanted them. He told me he would get her more if her supplies ran out." Levi sat on the bed beside them and checked Kiara's ear, leaning across Kyori to do so. It needed to be cleaned.

"That's pretty generous." Kyori picked up the bottle of antiseptic and fresh gauze as Levi rotated the earring gently.

"I thought he felt guilty... he said it was sympathy." Levi cleaned the earring and Kiara's ear with the supplies Kyori handed him.

"I'm not surprised. I don't think that man is capable of feeling guilty." Kyori growled, cleaning her own ear.

"Maybe. He seemed genuinely concerned... I wish I knew why Kiara has a bad feeling about him." Levi sighed, throwing away the gauze and its wrapper.

Kyori blinked, fiddling with the emerald stud in her own ear. "You never seemed to place much in Kiara's feelings before."

"That's not entirely true. I didn't understand them before. She never really told me about them either." Levi frowned. "You didn't either. You just told us that Kiara had sharp intuition."

"Huh... I guess that's true," Kyori mumbled. "Kiara's 'feelings' are almost always dead on. She said said we could trust you and Farlan. She said you would end up being important to her. She was obviously worried about joining the Survey Corps... Even as kids.. She didn't want to climb the tree in our yard one winter. She threw a fit over it out of fear. You saw what happened after our mother beat her. She broke her arm falling from that tree. I've actually never known her to be wrong. So, if Erwin gives her a bad feeling, I trust her."

Levi narrowed his eyes. They had never brought up the memories Kyori had shown them after that night. "Speaking of that... I'm curious about those injections you received when you were kids."

Kyori tensed slightly. "You mean from Mr. Gross- and yes that is his name. He wasn't a doctor either... That was the last I saw of him.. Though I know it wasn't the first. I heard our parents. They asked him if the serum took that time. He said it did."

"Do you have any idea what the serum was for?" Levi furrowed his eyebrows.

"I have a theory... I think it was to.. accelerate us. I can't think of any other reason why Kiara and I could study the material our parents gave us or learn instruments so quickly... or learn how to kill titans at such a young age." Kyori hugged her sister tighter.

Levi frowned slightly. "Do you think that is the reason for your thing with memories and Kiara's abnormally sharp intuition?"

"Of course." Kyori rolled her eyes. "I figured that out when we were five and Kiara told me not to gut a deer I had just killed. Our father punished her for trying to go against orders. I did as I was told and nearly cut off my hand."

Kyori held up her left hand, showing off a scar that ran across her palm. Levi blinked at the scar that had been a clearly deep gash at one point. He had seen it before, but had never paid much attention to it. "You understood that from getting injured?"

"I understood because Kiara kept screaming that I was going to get hurt before our father punished her. There was nothing different about this kill than any other. There was nothing to make her scream like that. I wasn't shaking or anything."

"So, what made you cut yourself?"

"A fox. It startled me as I was cutting through the deer. I heard it growling." Kyori sighed. "That's when my parents realized it too. Kiara told me later that she had had a dream about that very thing."

Levi turned his gaze to Kiara who was still sleeping soundly, her dark red lashes casting shadows over her cheeks. "Does she know?"

"I don't know. She doesn't always seem to trust her feelings... For instance, I'm sure she had a bad feeling the night she was assaulted. That's a big thing that happened... I would be surprised if she didn't have a bad feeling that night. She still went out. She still joined the Survey Corps." Kyori brushed her deep red hair out of her face.

"I would like to know why this all happened to you both." Levi frowned, adjusting a lock of flyaway hair that Kyori had just created.

"I can't tell you that." Kyori's apple-shaped lips thinned.

"Is that because you don't know? Or because you don't want to tell me?" Levi glared at Kyori slightly.

"Because you shouldn't know it... It doesn't matter anymore. Kiara and I made the decision to not go through with Marley's plan. We chose to help the people living here despite our parents trying to train us into being perfect warriors and spies. What happened before I killed our parents doesn't matter anymore," she answered bluntly.

Levi rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to retort, but Kiara groaned and opened her eyes tiredly.

"Kyori? L-Levi?" she mumbled, looking up at them. "Are you two arguing again?"

"No," Levi responded immediately.

Kiara's slightly glazed over eyes met his as a frown formed on her lips. "You are so full of shit."

Levi and Kyori glanced at each other. "Kiara, we were just discussing something difficult," Kyori finally said, hugging her.

"What was it?" Kiara scooted up, wincing and forcing herself to take a deep breath.

"You and your intuition," Kyori answered after a moment.

"What?" Kiara glanced up at her sister with a raised eyebrow, trying to breathe normally.

"Levi wants to know why Erwin gives you a bad feeling."

Levi rolled his eyes. Well, it wasn't far from the truth. That was part of their conversation.

"Oh..." Kiara looked away, biting her lower lip. "I've always felt like he was going to take away something important from me..."

"Farlan and Isabel..." Levi frowned.

"It wasn't him, I know... It wasn't Erwin's fault.. but if he hadn't come into the picture... We would still be living underground." Kiara quickly brushed tears off her face.

"Would you have rather had us still underground?" Kyori combed her fingers through her twin's hair.

"Of course. I didn't like it down there or having to steal just to survive.. But at least we were together and alive." Kiara bit her lip harder and wrapped her arms around herself.

Levi and Kyori exchanged another look. "Farlan and Isabel were happy up here.. They were glad on that last night that their baby wasn't going to be born underground," Kyori murmured gently.

"I know... I just... I miss them," Kiara mumbled, shaking her head. "Like I said, it wasn't Erwin's fault.. It was just the start of cause and effect."

"Has your feeling about him changed?" Levi asked, swallowing slightly. He missed Isabel and Farlan too.

"I don't... I don't know.. I haven't seen him since we got back." Kiara looked up at him, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Kiara..." he sighed and brushed the tears off her face. "I've got the things you asked for from him. He wants to help you."

Kiara blinked at that and frowned as Levi handed her a book, the list, and a pen. "The book.. It's nice... You didn't threaten him, did you?"

 _Why had both brats asked that?_ he wondered irritably. "No. I just told him why you wanted them. He was very compliant."

"I didn't ask for such a nice book though..." Kiara turned the volume over in her hands.

"I know. I did." Levi shrugged.

"Thank you, Levi."

She rubbed her eyes quickly and opened the book. "I'm going to write down everything I can remember about Isabel and Farlan... and then I'm going to work on Flagon and Sayram... and everyone else," she murmured to herself, ignoring her ribs as she propped open the book against her knees.

Kyori kissed her cheek and nodded. "I think that this is a good idea. I'll help."

"So will I." Levi sprawled on the end of the bed, looking up at the bunk above them where Isabel and Farlan had slept.

Kiara nodded, fighting off her drowsiness. She started to write in the book with messy handwriting. She took her time so the letters would at least be readable.

With Kyori and Levi's help, she started writing all the little facts about her siblings that she could remember. There were things like Isabel loved potato and leek soup, Farlan hated tomatoes, Farlan's eyes were the color of the sky on a clear sunny day, Isabel had slept very lightly, Farlan had preferred bathing in the morning, Isabel was impulsive, Farlan liked to think things through, and even though Farlan and Isabel clashed a lot, they were always happy together.

Levi added things from before the twins had known Farlan. Farlan had tried to get Levi to join his gang and when Levi had refused, Farlan had joined him instead a year before they had rescued the twins. Farlan had kept pestering him until Levi had just let Farlan fight with him. Levi hadn't been part of any gang at that point, but Farlan had been okay operating as a thug just by his side. Farlan had lost his parents at young age. All he had had left of them was the earrings in the twins' ears. Farlan had been the one to first steal 3DMG and harnesses, insisting that it would make stealing and dealing with other thugs easier. Levi had been doubtful, but Farlan had convinced him to try it.

It went on like that for hours, moving from simple facts to memories the three of them shared. They only stopped when Kiara had fallen back to sleep, slumped over the book.

Kyori took the pen and book from Kiara's limp fingers and set them down on the table. "I have to get back to Hange... will you be okay?"

"Of course I will be... that actually.. I think it helped a bit." Levi shrugged, getting up with Kyori. He took her place beside Kiara, laying her down.

"I felt the same. I'll bring up dinner and more medicine later. The other scouts should be done training soon." Kyori stretched and looked down at Levi and her sister. She left once Levi had acknowledged her with a nod.

* * *

"My little ball of rage!" Hange squealed when Kyori walked into their special dorm. It was just Hange's squad in here.. Which consisted of a young man named Moblit and Kyori. They hadn't gotten away from the last mission unscathed. Two of their members had been eaten before Kyori had taken down the titan plaguing them.

"Seriously! Do you have to keep calling me that?" Kyori demanded, folding her arms.

"Of course. Your temper matches your hair perfectly!" Hange cackled, her wine colored eyes glittering. "Both are red hot!"

Kyori groaned and rolled her eyes. "My name is Kyori. Not ball of rage," she grumbled.

"Not to me," Hange sang, getting up from her desk and stretching. "So how is your little sister doing?"

"Kiara is the older sister," Kyori corrected, "and I think she's doing alright. She was pretty lucid today."

Kyori went to the desk and started taking out herbs and chemicals she would need to make more tonics for her sister.

"She took it easy, right?" Hange tilted her head, scratching her dirty hair.

"Yes. She just wrote in a book." Kyori eyed her captain with a frown.

"A book? Do tell." Hange sat back down and started examining a few sheets of paper.

After Isabel died, Commander Shadis had demanded a medicine to prevent female scouts from getting pregnant. No one wanted to repeat sending a pregnant scout out to get eaten.

Of course, everyone had known about Isabel's pregnancy after the night they spent outside the walls. Farlan had been all over the woman, listening to the baby's heartbeat and kissing his fiancée... they hadn't been subtle at all. Especially with Isabel complaining loudly that she and the baby needed to breathe and eat. Hange herself had heard them and had offered Isabel candy and her own dinner.

When news had spread that Isabel and Farlan had both died, it had shaken a lot of the scouts. Many of them were in relationships or knew a pregnant woman.. and the thought of a woman and her unborn child being eaten had most of the scouts sick. Even the ones who had objected to the group of thugs joining them in the first place were upset that Isabel had died.

So, Hange was tasked with the impossible- to stop nature. A strict rule had been set in place until her work was done: no fucking between couples of the opposite sex. Hange was to test her tonics on rabbits first, but she couldn't even imagine what formula she would need to prevent pregnancies.

Shadis had also given her another task. She had to figure out a way to tell as soon as possible if a woman was pregnant or not. Of course, missing a menstruation cycle was the obvious cue, but that was sometimes a fluke and on top of that, many women didn't keep track of their cycles. Hange was to develop a test of some sort that would let them know for sure if a woman was pregnant after a missed cycle.

"It's a book to document lost scouts... Kiara is writing everything she knows about the people who died or went missing," Kyori explained. "She was writing about Isabel and Farlan... and I don't think she has finished yet."

"Really? That sounds like an interesting way to cope with grief," Hange murmured thoughtfully. "Do you think its helping?"

"I don't know yet. Levi and I helped her... it seemed to be good for us, so I'm hoping it helps her." Kyori sighed, adding menthol she had extracted from mint leaves to the mixture she was making.

"Mm... I'm glad to hear that. I've been worried about you." Hange gave her a small smile.

"I'll be fine. I survived worse than this," Kyori muttered, now eager to change the subject. "What is that?"

"This?" Hange waved a sheet of her notes. "Commander Shadis ordering me to take on nature. I have to develop a way to stop women getting pregnant."

"What... Oh, Isabel," Kyori sighed. "That's not a bad idea in theory... I think it's going to be pretty difficult though. Mind telling me our exact orders and what your ideas are so far?"

Hange blinked before beaming. Kyori was a fucking gift from heaven. The woman had automatically decided it was their project and not just Hange's which made the task a little less daunting. "Of course," Hange answered gratefully before launching into the details.

Kyori listened attentively as Hange spoke, continuing to work on the tonic. She added in her own input whenever Hange took a breath, unaware of the hours slipping by. They bounced ideas back and forth, Hange making sure to jot all of the ideas down.

When Kyori was finished with both of her sister's tonics for the week, Hange drew her into her lap so they could share the desk and notes. Kyori started adding her own untidy scrawl next to her captain's.

"I think the most important thing is to make a reliable test to see if a woman is pregnant. Maybe we can take blood samples from rabbits who are pregnant and then from rabbits who aren't. We can compare the two. Maybe some chemical can detect something in a pregnant rabbit's blood?" Kyori suggested, looking up at Hange from over her shoulder.

"That's a good idea... If we can figure out if any of our comrades are pregnant, we can prevent them from going on future missions until we develop the medicine to prevent pregnancy." Hange rested her chin on Kyori's head, humming thoughtfully.

Kyori didn't pay her superior any attention as she scribbled the plan down on the paper, brushing Hange's hand out of her way gently.

"Hey, are you two done yet?" Moblit asked, leaning against one of the beds. "Dinner is going to be done soon."

Kyori and Hange jumped. They hadn't even heard their other squad member join them, but Moblit was sitting on his bed, watching them wearily.

"Is it that time already?" Hange blinked, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"I doubt he would have said that if it wasn't," Kyori pointed out dryly, getting up from Hange's lap. She dimly wondered when she had ended up there. She had been so engrossed in their conversation, she hadn't paid much attention to anything else.

Moblit rolled his eyes in exasperation and pulled Hange to her feet. "Hange, you really should bathe after dinner. When was the last time you had a bath?"

Hange blinked at him with her reddish-brown eyes, looking thoughtful. "Ah..."

"You don't remember, do you?" Kyori sighed, rolling her eyes.

"There's no time to bathe when I have so much work to do!" Hange protested.

"I swear, I will knock you out and bathe you if you don't do it yourself," Kyori threatened, her voice mild, but her eyes clearly promised to make good on the threat.

"I'll do it later," Hange said airily, waving her hand.

* * *

Hange didn't bathe after dinner. Kyori knew that much. She had just come back from bringing Levi and Kiara food and medicine. Hange was back at the desk, pouring over her notes.

Kyori sighed heavily, her face showing her annoyance. Much like Levi, Kyori didn't show many of her emotions on her face aside from anger and irritation. Hange had likened her resting face to a serial killer's when they had first met. Kyori could imagine that her expression right now would make that likeness more intense.

She stormed over to Hange and grabbed her ear, yanking her to her feet as Hange yelped. "Kyori?!"

"We're taking a fucking bath," Kyori growled, pulling the taller woman out of the room. Despite Hange being seven inches taller than her, Kyori was stronger and more ruthless.

"I was going to after I finished!" Hange whined. "And you didn't even grab clean clothes!"

"Moblit already put some clean clothes in the bathing room after dinner." Kyori shrugged.

"What?! Did you to conspire against me?" Hange demanded. "This is mutiny!"

"No, it's a fucking public service." Kyori glowered up at her, ready to knock Hange out.

Hange made a noise of indignation before giving up. She let Kyori lead her into the bathroom, sulking.

"Are you seriously bathing with me?" Hange asked as Kyori locked the bathroom door.

"Why wouldn't I?" Kyori raised her eyebrow at Hange, walking over to the tub and plugging it. She turned the hot water on. "After your first bath, I am getting in too."

"My first... I have to take two?" Hange groaned, not minding the idea of taking a bath with her beautiful subordinate, but she didn't see the need for two baths.

"You're covered in grime. Yes, you're taking two." Kyori looked over Hange. "Strip already."

Hange frowned and started unbuttoning her shirt. "Why aren't you undressing?"

"Because I'm not getting in yet." Kyori shrugged, but took off her navy tank top. She was probably going to get wet anyways.

Hange's fingers paused on her last button, staring at Kyori's milky exposed skin as the younger woman started laying towels on the floor.

Hange snapped out of it and quickly finished undressing, leaving the clothes scattered on the floor. She really shouldn't be staring at Kyori's petite body so blatantly, but the woman was stunning and all Hange had seen was Kyori's back so far.

"Are you ready yet?" Kyori asked, shutting off the water and looking over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Hange mumbled slightly breathless. She quickly strolled over and sat in the extremely hot water, immediately trying to jump out of it. "Ouch! Did you have to make it so hot?"

"You're filthy," Kyori retorted, holding Hange in the water by her shoulders.

Hange frowned and looked down at the porcelain hands holding her in the water, immediately drawn to the contrast between their skin tones. Kyori's pale skin contrasted beautifully with her own golden tan. Hange flicked her eyes up to Kyori's as she stopped struggling to get out of the hot water.

Kyori glanced at her, trying not blush, and immediately started to clean Hange's skin with a wash cloth and a ton of soap. She refused to acknowledge that her superior was an attractive woman right now. Nope. She would act like she was bathing Kiara. It wasn't like she knew whether or not Hange was even interested in her... if she wasn't, that would be just awkward.

"You know, I can bathe myself." Hange watched as Kyori's hands scrubbed her body clean, blaming the reddening of her skin on the heat.

"At this point, I don't trust that." Kyori snorted, rolling her eyes. She moved the wash cloth over Hange's breasts methodically, making sure to scrub the filth off without being too rough with tender flesh. She moved to her abdomen next.

Hange blinked as Kyori washed her, tilting her head. "I think that is just unfounded," she muttered, her breath hitching.

When was the last time she had gotten laid? Way too long ago if she was getting worked up by the redhead washing her chest. Hange quickly ducked under the water to give herself a moment to calm down. She wasn't going to make a move on Kyori. Kyori was her subordinate- not a fuck buddy. Even Hange had more self control than that.

"Ready to wash your hair?" Kyori asked as her squad leader resurfaced.

"Ah, sure," Hange answered, rubbing water out of her eyes as she took the cloth from Kyori and started scrubbing the rest of her body- specifically parts she didn't want the younger woman to touch right now.

Kyori lathered soap into her hair, washing the grease and dirt out of it three times before she was satisfied that Hange was clean enough.

"Okay. I'm draining this filthy water and getting in," she announced, pulling the plug by Hange's feet. The murky water drained slowly.

Hange flicked her eyes up to Kyori as she stood up and took off the rest of her clothes, dumping them in the hamper before cleaning up Hange's clothes.

Hange watched her from the tub. It couldn't hurt to just look at Kyori, right? Kyori's long hair fell to the top of her creamy round butt. Hange hastily stopped staring as Kyori turned back to the tub.

"Mind starting the water again?" Kyori asked in her strangely bored, yet musical voice.

"Sure." Hange quickly plugged the tub again and turned the water on to a more comfortable temperature as Kyori grabbed more towels to dry off with. She set them beside the tub and climbed in, facing Hange.

Kyori immediately started washing herself, not embarrassed in the slightest even though the water was only covering their hips. Kyori had her knees drawn up between Hange's legs.

"Do you... do this a lot?" Hange asked, swallowing slightly.

Hange couldn't exactly avoid looking at Kyori anymore with her right in front of her. Kyori's breasts were smaller than her own, just a pair of faintly swelled lumps. Hange's own breasts were smaller than average, something that had people questioning her sex a lot, but she thought Kyori's were much more attractive. She honestly wanted to run her fingers over them and see just how Kyori reacted to her touch. Even the faint markings from Kyori's harness that marred her skin, in the exact same pattern as Hange's had, were attractive.

Kyori glanced at Hange who coughed and looked away. "Isabel, Kiara, and I used to bathe together all the time. It saved on water."

Kyori got up on her knees and leaned over with the soap, washing Hange's chestnut brown hair again. "In fact, we washed each other's hair every night," she added, hardly aware of how close her chest was to Hange's face.

"I wouldn't mind you washing my hair or washing yours every night," Hange blurted out, making Kyori blush faintly and lose her balance slightly.

Hange quickly steadied her with her hands on her waist. "I mean... I just.."

"If it gets you to bathe regularly, I am more than willing to bathe with you," Kyori mumbled, raking her fingers lightly over Hange's scalp.

"Ah... Okay," Hange agreed, sighing softly as she turned her head. She couldn't keep staring at Kyori's chest or she was certain her heart wouldn't be able to handle it.

By the time Kyori was done, the water had filled the tub, so she turned it off as Hange rinsed her hair. Hange sat up once she was finished. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, neither woman doing anything.

"Um, did you want to wash my hair?" Kyori asked, still kneeling, but leaning back now.

"Ah, yeah!" Hange grinned, her eyes twinkling. She grabbed the soap and got onto her knees, almost sitting in Kyori's lap in her haste to get close enough.

"I'm not going anywhere," Kyori huffed, trying to not laugh as Hange scrambled up. She let a small smile curve her lips as she handed Hange the soap. "Let me turn around. My hair is longer than yours."

Hange nodded, lathering soap in her hands as Kyori turned around. Hange had never washed someone else's hair before, in fact, she barely washed her own, but she figured she would start at Kyori's scalp. She worked the soap into Kyori's hair, taking her time only because she enjoyed the silky feeling of her hair between her fingers.

Kyori leaned into the touch, humming softly. "I miss getting my hair washed. It feels good."

"I would do this every night," Hange admitted. She could definitely spare the time from researching to bathe with Kyori.

"I'm holding you to that," Kyori almost purred as Hange's hands worked to the ends of her hair.

Hange smiled as she finished. "Time to rinse."

Kyori nodded and scooted forward before leaning back, her head in Hange's lap. Hange grinned and rinsed Kyori's hair for her, happy to see such a content expression on her subordinate's face. It was a rare moment that Hange wasn't feeling manic during. She just felt genuinely content and happy.

"You haven't shrieked or yelled my ear off in the past twenty minutes," Kyori murmured, relaxing where she was laying. "This is nice."

"You enjoy my crazy side too." Hange laughed quietly, her fingers still running through Kyori's long red locks.

Kyori opened her lapis lazuli eyes and gazed up at her superior, looking thoughtful. "Yeah, I do," she responded. "It's like a breath of fucking fresh air."

Hange blinked, her fingers stilling. She had been certain that no one had particularly liked her downright mania. "A breath of fresh air?"

"Mm... Yeah. You don't let anything daunt you and I really respect that. Everyone else is so fucking serious. You remind me of Isabel almost... It's nice." Kyori shrugged, closing her eyes before sighing. She sat up and turned to face her captain.

For once, Hange didn't know what to say. It was unusual for her. She stared at Kyori, her mouth parted slightly.

Kyori found herself staring at Hange's mouth and leaning forward. When she noticed Hange's face was less than a foot from hers, she stood up abruptly, her face turning pink.

"We're going to prune," she muttered, getting out of the tub. She unplugged it and tossed her superior a towel before drying off quickly. She kept her back to Hange as she dried herself off. What the fuck had she almost done? Almost kissed her fucking squad leader that's what. Kyori dressed hurriedly, hearing Hange drying off behind her.

"Are you okay, little fire ball?" Hange asked, her brow furrowed. Kyori's movements seemed jerky and rushed.

"I'm fine. Just cold," Kyori lied, throwing on the clothes Moblit had stashed in here for them.

"Huh. We should get back then." Hange quickly dressed, now worried about Kyori.

Kyori quickly nodded. "Yeah..." She twisted her hair into a towel. "Do you feel cleaner?"

"I was just scrubbed within an inch of my life. Yeah, I feel clean," Hange snorted.

"Good." Kyori flashed her a smirk. "Ready to start those tests?"

"Hell yes!" Hange threw her arms around Kyori excitedly. "Fuck, I love how you never insist on me sleeping or whatever."

"That's Moblit's job," Kyori scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Hange burst out laughing as Kyori untangled herself. "Brush your teeth before we go back."

Hange groaned, putting on her glasses. Hygiene was just a nuisance. She listened to Kyori's instructions though, wanting to get back to their experiment as soon as possible.

Kyori cleaned her own teeth efficiently and quickly before supervising Hange. When Kyori deemed Hange's mouth clean enough, Hange sighed with relief.

"Experiments?"

"Yes, yes." Kyori sighed dramatically and let Hange drag her out of the bathroom.

When they reached their dorms, Moblit was already there, cleaning up Hange's mess. He looked up at the pair as they came in and blinked. "I think that's the cleanest I've ever seen you."

"Blame Kyori. She made me bathe twice," Hange whined halfheartedly.

"Blame Levi. He raised me with a strict sense of hygiene and cleanliness," Kyori deflected, pulling up a chair to Hange's desk.

She sat down on it crossed legged, starting to write a proposal immediately. They had to gain approval to work on the pregnancy test first.

Hange sat beside her, watching her write up the document. Moblit sighed and threw a blanket over each of them. "Try to get some sleep tonight. You two are going to exhaust yourselves."

"But science!" Hange grinned, her eyes glittering.

"Last time you didn't sleep because of science, you tried to stab your bread into into a titan," Moblit sighed, exasperated.

"It was bread that you were trying to make me eat and to be fair, it was hard as a rock." Hange shrugged. "It hurt its eye."

"It was not!" Moblit protested, racking his fingers through his short blond hair.

"It pierced the titan's eye," Hange pointed out, watching Kyori already starting to doze off over her work.

"I made that bread," Moblit grumbled, folding his arms as Hange guided her subordinate to lay her head down on her lap. Kyori didn't protest. She just curled into her chair like a cat, nuzzling against Hange's leg.

"Kyori's bread doesn't end up hard as a brick," Hange noted. "Moblit, dear, I just don't think baking is your thing. You are really good at making candy though."

Moblit rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm going to bed. It's nearly midnight."

"Good night, hun. See you when the sun wakes up." Hange sent him a grin before starting to work on finishing their proposal.

* * *

Over the course of the next month, Kiara had filled the first book with just information and memories about Isabel and Farlan. Levi and Kyori had continued helping her when her memory was fuzzy and by adding their own memories. There were a few blank pages left in case more memories surfaced down the road.

Kiara's bruises were finally starting to lighten and she could breathe normally without pain, but deep breaths still hurt her. She had stopped taking her pain medication and was even walking around her own. Levi had finally started to feel comfortable with her not in his sight anymore.

Kiara was glad for the space. She didn't want to be a burden. It only increased how guilty she felt. She still hadn't forgiven herself for Farlan's and Isabel's deaths.

She was sitting outside on the grass, watching everyone train. She wouldn't be able to join them for another month according to Hange. Kiara sighed, plucking grass between her fingers as a shadow settled over her.

"How are you feeling?" a deep voice asked.

Kiara looked up at Erwin and sighed again. She hadn't seen him at all these past six weeks. She tried to feel angry with him for dragging them up here, but couldn't.

"I guess I'm okay. My bruises aren't as dark anymore. Hange says I'm lucky that I didn't have internal damage." She shrugged, turning her gaze back down to the grass.

Erwin sat beside her, his legs crossed. "I didn't mean just physically. How's the writing going?"

Kiara blinked before turning her head to look at him. "Ah... Levi told you why I wanted those supplies. I finished the book about Isabel and Farlan. I've just started writing about Flagon."

"Is it helping?" he asked gently, watching the scouts train. Levi and Kiara were now in his squad. Kiara was the only one not training in his squad. Mike was currently training with Levi, he noted amused. The two of them were practicing hand to hand combat and were fairly well matched.

"I.. I'm not sure. I don't feel as sad... but I feel so guilty." Kiara swallowed against a lump in her throat.

"You were right there and can take down titans without 3DMG, so you think you could have saved them, right?" Erwin turned his light blue eyes to gaze down at the small redhead.

"Yes," Kiara breathed, biting her lower lip. "It is my fault. I should have saved them. I just... Levi used to say I was too innocent for being a thug... too kind and big hearted... I don't feel innocent anymore. I feel shame... because I let them die. I shouldn't have left Isabel's side. I should have found my voice to tell them to turn around or to beg Levi to stay with us." Kiara's voice cracked as the words poured out of her without a filter. She had never told her sister or Levi she felt like this, but with Erwin... she didn't feel so terrible for admitting her weakness.

"Kiara, I can tell you right now, it's not your fault," Erwin sighed, "You are only human, even if you are a miraculous fighter... Flagon was a great scout too, but he still died and couldn't protect anyone. You talked about innocence and shame... but it's not about either of those things. It's about moving on."

"How?" Kiara demanded, looking up at him tears spilling out of her eyes. Erwin kept her attention as he noticed Levi and Mike breaking away from other scouts. They were coming toward them.

"I'm still figuring that out myself. I've lost friends too. People have died right in front me and I wasn't able to save them. Every day, it gets a little easier to bear, but it still is hard. We have to bear the burden on strong shoulders and keep moving forward... Otherwise, we risk other comrades by being too scared to move." Erwin hesitated before wiping the tears off her face.

Kiara gazed up at him before burying her face in his arm, crying harder. "I want to.. I do.. but I... I keep hearing Isabel scream. I keep seeing Farlan about to get eaten... I.. How do I make it stop? How do I move on?"

Erwin turned and gently wrapped his arms around Kiara, taking care to not aggravate her injuries. He held a finger to his lips as Levi and Mike reached them, signaling to be quiet for now. Levi narrowed his gray eyes, but nodded once.

"Don't think about it as moving on. It's moving forward. Isabel and Farlan are here with you. They live in your heart and within your memories," Erwin murmured soothingly. This wasn't the first time he had comforted a grieving scout. "I didn't know Isabel or Farlan well, but I know they loved you a lot. They wouldn't want you to blame yourself. They would want you to keep moving forward. If you can't find a way, then make one. I know you can do it... I know that the shame and guilt can be overwhelming, but no one blames you, but yourself. If you let it, it can crush you whether you deserve it or not... and you don't. You don't have to punish yourself."

Kiara clenched her hands in his jacket as she listened to him, sobs racking her body. It hurt. "But... if I had been stronger... if I just asked him to stay..."

"No, Kiara. Listen to me, no amount of guilt or 'what ifs' is going to change the past. You couldn't speak. You did what you could. There were five titans.. and you barely survived yourself." Erwin glanced up at Levi who was looking stricken and pale. "Moving forward is the best way to honor your family."

"I don't want to just move forward and forget though," Kiara sobbed, shaking her head.

"Don't forget. You just have to accept that it happened." Erwin pet her hair gently as Levi knelt silently behind Kiara. "I firmly believe that you can fight this and bear the burden of the guilt... I'll even tell you how to make it easier."

"What could possibly make this easier?" Kiara sniffled, looking up at Erwin as she wiped her tears off on her sleeve.

"You share the burden with your loved ones. I'm pretty sure they want you to share it with them too." Erwin's eyes flicked to Levi.

"You can't possibly know that. I don't want to be a burden." Kiara shook her head as she felt a hand grip her shoulder. The hand pulled her backwards, replacing Erwin's larger arms with thinner ones. Kiara watched Erwin smile slightly as she collided softly with another chest.

"You fucking idiotic brat," Levi cursed, burying his face in her hair. "You are not a burden. You never will be. Don't you dare think that way again."

"Levi?!" Kiara turned around in his tight embrace. "You were listening?!"

"Yes, long enough to understand what's going on. Kiara, how in the fuck could you ever think that I wouldn't want to know that you feel like this?" Levi demanded, holding her tighter. "You can tell me anything. You aren't alone, brat."

Kiara blinked up at him, tears filling her already swollen red eyes. "I.. I'm sorry," she choked out, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Levi refrained from growling only because it was hard to be mad at her when she was crying- something he was just finding out. He glanced up at Erwin who was watching them carefully. Some of his bloodlust for the man died down. If it hadn't been for Erwin, Kiara might have kept this bottled up inside, eating her alive. From what he had heard, Erwin had been fucking wise and had probably really helped her too... He couldn't hate him that much anymore. "It's okay... you can cry all you want. We'll figure this out together.. you just need to trust me."

"I do trust you! I just didn't want to make it harder on you!" Kiara cried, her fingers tangling in his hair.

"Kiara," Erwin murmured, "how would you feel if Levi or Kyori hid their grief or feelings of guilt from you because they didn't want to make it harder on you?"

Kiara lifted her head slightly, looking faintly startled through her tears. "I... I would be mad. I would feel like I let them down. Fuck... I'm so sorry!" She hid her face in Levi's chest again, crying harder. "I won't do it again, I swear!"

Levi frowned faintly, holding her tighter. "See that you don't..." he muttered, kissing her hair and rocking her gently. He looked up at Erwin, mouthing a silent word of gratitude. Erwin was officially off his shit list.

Despite the way her body ached with each sob, Kiara found that this pain felt good. It wasn't like she felt like she should be punished and wanted the pain... not anymore. It felt like something heavy had been lifted from her shoulders. It felt like with each painful sob, she was being released.

Levi held her as she cried, running his fingers over her back. He had grown used to Kiara's crying in the time that had passed since Farlan and Isabel had died. He knew now that running his fingers up and down her spine or scratching her head gently soothed her. He knew he didn't have to say much to comfort her, which frankly, was a relief. He wasn't good at spouting off comforting words like he had just witnessed Erwin do. That had been Farlan's territory.

After awhile, Kiara had cried herself out. Levi continued rocking her as Erwin watched them. He wasn't sure why Captain Eyebrows was still there. Mike had left to train again and Levi was expecting Erwin to do the same, but his captain was still sitting next to him.

In fact, Erwin had an arm around his shoulders and Levi had no idea when that had happened, but he didn't throw him off. It wasn't until Erwin handed him two handkerchiefs that he realized something was off.

He immediately used one to wipe off Kiara's face, cleaning tears and snot off. That was the messiest crying he had ever seen. When Kiara blew her nose in her own handkerchief, he sighed faintly. She was going to need a bath soon.

Erwin was still holding out his second handkerchief, watching the two of them. "Levi," he murmured.  
"Kiara's face is cleaned up already." Levi glanced at the cloth in Erwin's hand, his brows furrowed.

"It's for you," Erwin answered gently.

Levi blinked a few times, confusion written on his face. Why would he need a handkerchief? His fingers raised to his own face hesitantly. His cheeks were wet. He was crying. Shit.

He quickly wiped his face dry, glowering at some point across the training grounds. He never cried, dammit. Erwin was trying to comfort him too. This was putting him well out of his comfort zone. He couldn't move either because he was fairly certain that Kiara was falling asleep on his lap.

"It's okay, Levi. No one can see your face from here," Erwin murmured.

"Maybe not, but they can see Mr. Tree himself wrapped around me," Levi groused, rolling his pale gray eyes as Erwin's arm removed itself from his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Kiara mumbled, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"I'm fine. I was just..." He caught the look Erwin gave him and glared before sighing. He couldn't expect Kiara to be open with him without giving her the same courtesy. "I was just sad too. Captain Eyebrows was comforting me."

Erwin frowned at the nickname. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

Levi raised a thin disbelieving eyebrow before shaking his head. "Look in a mirror."

Kiara sat up slowly, looking between the two men. "Levi... You are... You're actually messing around with Erwin. I don't sense a single bit of bloodlust."

"Was there a question in there?" Levi frowned, folding his arms. "The mission that Lovof gave us is over, remember?"

"Of course... but you still have seemed on edge about him since we got back and now you're not." Kiara blinked before a small smile broke out on her lips. "I'm glad. I have a good feeling about your friendship."

"There is no friendship," Levi protested immediately, glaring at the redhead as she snorted.

"Sure..."

Erwin watched the exchange carefully, a bit surprised. "Does that mean you don't have a bad feeling about me anymore?"

Kiara looked over at him, staying silent for a moment. "No. Not anymore. The bad feeling is over... I don't know how I feel about you yet, though. It's kind of neutral."

"That's..." Erwin frowned.

"Strange, right? I can't really explain my feelings though... It's just like really sharp intuition as Kyori says." Kiara shrugged.

"Kiara, you need to go take your medicine," Levi suddenly said, interrupting them.

Even if Erwin was off his shit list, he didn't trust the man with information on either twins' ability. He was certain Erwin would try to use them or tell other people... and Levi knew there was a reason Kyori hadn't disclosed the information to anyone other than himself and Farlan. Isabel hadn't even known about them.

"Ah... Good point... I'm going to go take a nap too." Kiara sighed, wincing at the dull ache in her chest. "Thank you, Captain."

"Any time." Erwin smiled at her as she stood up and left.

Levi watched her go, tempted to threaten Erwin because to hell if he was going to let Kiara or Kyori be used or dissected or some shit because of their abilities, but he didn't want any suspicions Erwin may have confirmed.

"So, you don't feel the urge to kill me anymore?" Erwin glanced at Levi.

"Not at the moment, you fucking tree," Levi groused.

"Tree?" Erwin rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure I'm not quite that tall."

"Maybe I should call you a fucking mountain instead." Levi stood up before storming off to Mike to fight.


	10. I'm Not an Angel

AN: The songs Kiara sings are Hazy by Rosi Golan and When the Day met the Night by Panic at the Disco. I hope you enjoyed this story. Reviews are always appreciated!

Also, another shout out to AuroraStargazers! Man, your reviews really are something else. By the way, you were right: I purposely made that part sexualized. I want their relationship to have a lot of sexual tension, but this is my first time writing lesbian stuff, so forgive me if its wrong. Kiara's and Levi's relationship is supposed to be more about a gentle slow build romance.

* * *

 _"I don't have wings so flying with me won't be easy because I'm not an angel." -Halestorm_

"Kyori?" Kiara blinked, looking up at her sister as her twin burst into Shadis's office, looking like a bird with its feathers ruffled.

"Kiara, what are you doing here?" Kyori gaped, momentarily forgetting why she had come to the commander's office in the first place.

"The commander wants me to learn 3DMG." Kiara huffed, folding her arms.

"You will learn it." Keith Shadis glared at the young woman who met his gaze head on.

"Fuck no. It makes me sick. I can keep up with you and anyone else just fine without it." Kiara narrowed her deep blue eyes.

"Commander, Kiara really does experience nausea and vomiting using our gear," Kyori added immediately. "I would think she would be more use to the Survey Corps not puking her guts out everytime she has to fight a titan."

Kiara shot her sister a relieved look, her body relaxing.

"Kyori. It's been six months since you have joined our ranks. It's high time that she learns to use our equipment. She won't even use our swords." Commander Shadis shot the younger twin a glower.

"I am used to my chakrams! Your swords dull too quickly and then you just discard the blades. It's wasteful!" Kiara protested.

"At least wear your uniform!" Shadis snapped.

"Fine!" Kiara growled, throwing her arms into the air. She felt like the uniform was too constricting, so she had been wearing shorts and a tank top when she trained. Even the boots were downright slippery when it came to climbing trees. However, she could deal with it for now if it meant not having to use the designated equipment.

"Why are you here, Kyori?" Shadis sighed in exasperation.

"Ah, about that. Hange and I developed a way to detect pregnancy in rabbits. We wrote up a proposal to start testing to see if it works on humans." Kyori approached the desk and handed the document to Shadis.

"You have approval, if you can find anyone who is pregnant to test the theory on." Shadis quickly glanced over the document.

"We wanted to test our theory on the garrison scouts. We need permission from their commander, that's part of the proposal. There are seven known pregnant scouts among their ranks." Kyori shrugged, watching the man carefully. "We can test any number of women in our own branch as a control. Kiara, Hange, and I will all be part of that test."

"Wait, when did I volunteer to be one of your test subjects?!" Kiara demanded.

"You're a virgin and my twin. You are going to be tested." Kyori brushed her sister off. "I mean, you are the perfect candidate."

"Fuck me," Kiara whined, knowing she wasn't getting out of it.

"Not likely. Even Levi isn't going to go there with the ban on opposite sex couples fucking." Kyori snorted. "Come on, virgin. You need blood drawn. See ya, Commander Freaky Face."

Kyori waved at Shadis and quickly dragged her sister out of the office. Kiara's mouth fell open at the rude way her sister had addressed the commander, letting herself be pulled.

"I'm pretty sure you're on his shit list now." Kiara shook her head.

"I don't really care. By the way, I'm not the only one. You really need to do something about your nausea and using 3DMG." Kyori rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I can control it." Kiara frowned as they walked quickly down the halls. A wave of dizziness washed through her, but she ignored it.

"Work on it." Kyori pushed open the door to her dorm, shoving her sister inside.

"Ah, Kyori, how did it go?" Moblit asked, glancing up from his work.

"We have clearance to start on the control group. I'm sure Shadis will get the clearance for experimental group soon." Kyori shoved her sister onto her bed.

"That's great!" Hange grinned excitedly, moving over to the older twin. "So, I take it you're going to be a test subject. Kyori and I will be too."

"I guess so... What do you need?" Kiara asked hesitantly.

"Just a little blood now and when we get the blood samples from the Garrison's pregnant women." Hange smiled, holding up a syringe with a needle on it.

Kiara eyed the needle wearily, but nodded and held out her arm to Hange. The room was still spinning, but she ignored it as Hange cleaned her arm. She sighed when Hange poked her and drew her blood.

"Hey, are you okay? You look pale." Moblit sat beside Kiara and felt her forehead. "You have a mild fever."

"I'm just a little dizzy." Kiara frowned, holding the gauze her sister gave her against the little prick in her arm.

"Dizzy and a fever, you say?" Hange passed the sample to Kyori. "How long has this been going on? Have you been getting plenty of rest and food?"

"Ah, just since we left Shadis.. And yeah.. Well, I haven't eaten yet today. Shadis asked to see me right away." Kiara frowned as Hange got in her face.

"Huh, it might be a cold. Hopefully, your sample still works. You should go eat while we analyze your blood sample." Hange moved back. "Moblit, escort her. I don't like how pale she looks."

"Alright." Moblit reached out a hand to help Kiara up. Kiara's warm hand grabbed his and he pulled the young woman to her feet, catching her shoulder when she swayed.

"Oh." Hange and Kyori blinked at each other. "Maybe... You should stay here."

Kiara nodded, sweat glistening on her skin. "Yeah, I feel terrible," she mumbled.

Moblit helped her lay down on Kyori's mostly unused bed and covered her with the blanket. "I'll go get you some fruit and soup."

"Get a lot of water too. I'm going to analyze this sample." Hange sat at her desk. "Kyori, make that medicine we gave to Lynne last month."

"Already on it," Kyori said, pulling ingredients down from a shelf.

Kiara watched her tiredly, curling in on herself. She felt terrible. It had been manageable before she had stood up. Even her stomach was cramping, though that was nothing unusual given the circumstances.

"Kiara, do you have any other symptoms?" Kyori asked, looking over her shoulder at her sister.

"Um... I kind of just want to sleep for the next eighty hours." Kiara groaned, burying her face in the pillow.

"That's a coma!" Kyori frowned, praying her sister was over exaggerating.

"I could go for a coma," Kiara responded, brushing Kyori's concern off. "That or Levi... His skin is always nice and cold."

"I could ask him to come here?" Hange suggested, glancing over at Kiara from her microscope.

"No, if he came in here, he would throw a fit. It's pretty dirty." Kiara winced.

"You try keeping Hange clean," Kyori retorted, glancing over her shoulder at her sister. "It's a job just to get her in the bath."

"You won't let me live that down, will you?" Hange hummed softly. "I've been bathing since then."

"Only because I wash you." Kyori rolled her eyes as she added something Kiara couldn't see to the medicine she was making.

"I still do it." Hange shrugged as Moblit came back into the room.

"You two act like a married couple," Moblit noted, sitting beside Kiara and setting the tray on a small table. He helped the young woman sit up. "Do you need help eating?"

Kiara ignored her sister and Hange's protests to Moblit's comment and let herself be propped against the man. "I think I can manage," she mumbled, still dizzy.

The woman picked up a sliced apple drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon, eyeing the fruit.

"Honey and cinnamon are packed with antibacterials, antifungals, and antibiotics," Moblit explained, seeing her look at the treat confused.

Kiara blinked, but shrugged. They had never eaten snacks like this in the underground. Honey and spices were hard to come by down there. Now, they ate a lot better, but she had never seen apples with honey or cinnamon on them. She took a bite of the fruit. A small moan escaped her. Somehow the cinnamon, apple, and honey all complimented each other perfectly. She had never tasted something this good before.

"Kiara... Did you just moan?" Kyori asked startled. She glanced over at her sister and saw what she was eating. "Ah... Moblit makes the best snacks. He knows just how to make flavors compliment each other. Honestly, you have to teach me that sometime."

"Whenever you want. I owe you for keeping Hange clean lately." Moblit laughed softly.

Kiara listened to them as a fresh banter broke out between Hange, Kyori, and Moblit. She finished off the fruit before looking at the soup.

"Ah.. Why is it green?" Kiara asked wearily. "I mean.. That green is darker than Kyori's leek soup."

"It's Hange's recipe that Kyori tweaked. It's Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, broccoli, leeks, and asparagus mostly. It's packed with vitamins that will help you feel better quickly if this is just a cold." Moblit helped her eat the soup that surprising tasted refreshing.

"What did my sister do it?" Kiara asked, opening her mouth for another bite. Her hands were trembling too much to successfully bring the spoon to her mouth without spilling it.

"She made this concoction taste good. She added lemon juice and almonds to it. I don't know quite how those flavors all worked so well together, but Kyori is an excellent cook. Hange's version literally tasted like eating the foliage."

"At least my bread doesn't turn out like a stone," Hange muttered under her breath.

"Because you never make bread," Kyori retorted, taking the medicine she had just made and pouring it into water.

"Don't start again," Moblit warned, looking annoyed with his light brown eyes flashing.

"Whatever. Kiara, drink this and take a nap. You should be just fine when you wake up." Kyori handed Kiara a glass.

Her sister sighed and took the tonic down in one swallow, knowing it was going to bitter and disgusting. Moblit handed her a glass of water to wash it down with.

"Too bad sugar makes their tonics useless," Moblit said empathetically as Kiara shivered violently.

Kiara downed the glass of water quickly, water spilling in her haste. "That was the most bitter one yet.. Even the inflammation one didn't taste that bad."

"Are you sure that wasn't just because Levi was having you drink it from his own mouth?" Kyori asked dryly.

Kiara flushed darkly at the memory and pouted. "He only did that for the first couple of weeks because it hurt to sit up..."

"Right... More like you two just need to start dating." Kyori rolled her lapis lazuli eyes.

"We still have nearly five and a half years left." Kiara sighed, letting Moblit feed her more of the soup.

"Until what?" Kyori blinked, leaning against the desk next to Hange.

"Ah, the night I was raped... Um, Levi told me I had to wait ten years before he would... Well, he said I could kiss him and do love stuff with him after that." Kiara blushed darker.

"Wait... What? Why ten years? We're of age now. That makes no sense.."

"I think... He thought I would forget about it? That's what he implied when we were standing guard for Farlan outside the walls." Kiara ran her shaky fingers through her crimson hair.

"Why would he want... Oh. I get it." Kyori frowned. "I'm going to go kick his ass and tell him and Erwin where you are. Get some rest."

"Kyori!" Kiara watched her sister leave helplessly, groaning. "I lost my appetite..."

"You only have one more bite left and then you can sleep."

* * *

Levi sensed another presence before he saw the redhead behind him. He frowned, knowing full well it was Kyori. He quickly kicked Erwin's legs out from under him, feinting a punch first before spinning on his heel and grabbing Kyori in a headlock.

"What the hell are you doing sneaking up on me, brat?" Levi asked irritably as Erwin stood up again.

"What the hell are you doing making Kiara wait nearly six more years?" Kyori shot back, flipping backwards and locking her legs around his neck.

"Fucking hell," he grunted as Kyori pulled him down in a flip. He quickly stood up and brushed the dirt off him. "How do you even know about that?"

"Kiara let it slip. Seriously? It's not like we are children anymore. We're adults, Levi! So, why the hell are you stringing her along!?" Kyori demanded, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"Do you really have to do this here? I'm not just stringing her along!" Levi frowned, but he didn't sound completely sure. He was still worried about the impacts a relationship could have on missions. He couldn't guarantee that he could maintain a level head if Kiara's safety was on the line. He wasn't even sure he was good enough for her with how dirty his hands were.

"I swear to god, if you break her heart, I'm going to kill you. Especially if it's because of some stupid reason." Kyori growled low in her throat. She could tell he had misgivings. It didn't take a genius to notice that he looked away from her and to hear the insincerity in his voice.

"The last thing I want to do is that," Levi snapped back, dodging Kyori's fist.

"Then stop pussyfooting around the issue! If you love my sister, don't make her wait like this! It's stupid and irrational!" Kyori hissed, following through with a second punch that narrowly missed Levi's nose.

"She's still young! There's plenty of time for her to back out and find someone more suitable than me!"

"She doesn't want someone else, you fucking idiot! She's in love with you!"

"And I am not good enough for her! She's too innocent! Even after everything, she's still too fucking innocent for someone like me!" Levi glared, grabbing Kyori's hand as she tried to hit him again and twisted it behind her back.

"Don't put my sister on some pedestal! She may be gentle and kind, but Kiara isn't some breakable angel or anything like that!" Kyori snapped, wincing slightly. She kicked her leg out and tripped Levi, immediately pinning him down. "She loves you and you love her. You can make it fucking work. You know that, Levi. So either break it off with her or make your damn move!"

Levi glared up at her, flipping them over as Kyori punched him in the face. He hissed, certain that he was going to be sporting a bruise on his jaw soon.

"I hate interrupt this very... interesting conversation, but this is training practice," Erwin said, hiding a grin behind his hand. "Kyori, it's really not up to you force Levi into a decision. If you want to have this conversation, you should really do it at a more appropriate time."

Kyori blocked Levi's next punch and kicked him off her before standing up. "Sorry, sir."

"It's fine. Weren't you researching with Hange though? I thought that was why you were skipping training." Erwin raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, Hange is currently analyzing and testing Kiara's blood for pregnancy. She's apart of the control group."

"I was just wondering where she was." Erwin frowned, glancing at Levi who was brushing dirt and snow off himself.

"Ah, she's sick. Hange suspects a simple cold. We gave her medicine and food. She should be sleeping in my bed right now. I don't know if she will be better by tomorrow, but it shouldn't be more than a couple days," Kyori reported, saluting casually.

"Shitty brat! Say that first!" Levi snapped.

"Ah, no. You aren't going there. Kiara specifically said that she didn't want you to come." Kyori held back a smirk. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth by any means.

Levi froze mid-step and glared over his shoulder at Kyori. "Why would she say that?" he demanded, crossing his arms in irritation.

"I guess you'll just have to find out from her." Kyori smirked and flounced away.

"She's a real gem that one," Erwin noted, watching her blood red hair sway as she pranced off the training grounds. "Beautiful though."

"Don't even think about it. There is nothing straight about Kyori and Kiara is mine." Levi shot him a dirty look.

"Huh, it didn't seem like Kiara was yours from that conversation," Erwin responded, now intentionally pressing Levi's buttons to make their fight more intense. They had both been holding back before.

Levi narrowed his eyes and growled in frustration before attacking Erwin again, fire pounding through his blood.

* * *

Kiara didn't wake up until dinner. She yawned and stretched in the otherwise empty bed. "Levi?"

"Wrong bed," Kyori grumbled, sitting next to Hange. "How do you feel?"

Kiara blinked, sitting up. "Ah, a lot better actually. Why do you look so sullen?"

"Well, our experiment might have been a screw up... It says you're pregnant." Kyori frowned, folding her arms.

"Buuuuut Kyori's and my tests behaved like we thought they would. So, you might be pregnant and the test might not have screwed up," Hange added, looking over her shoulder at the older twin.

"Wait. That really isn't possible. I have never had sex before. Unless you count when I was raped and that was orally and anally." Kiara held up her hands, looking nervous.

"I thought so. Still, that means we have to keep experimenting. Maybe it was just your cold or something you ate recently?" Hange frowned faintly.

"She could have low iron which could have caused the reading? Remember that one rabbit? It wouldn't eat and wasn't pregnant and it's blood reacted the same way as Kiara's did." Kyori tilted her head slightly.

"That's a likely possibility. We will have to test you again after you've been eating healthy. You should try to not skip meals if you do have low iron... Wait! Are you menstruating?"

"Uh, yeah," Kiara blinked, "I started last night."

"That would account for the low iron! We just have to test you in a couple weeks. Eat plenty of greens and bread for now. It should bring your iron back up." Hange grinned. "Either that or some hormone is released during menstruation that causes the same reaction as pregnancy!"

"Kiara, escape now or Hange will talk your ear off all night," the younger twin warned as Moblit groaned.

Kiara blinked before climbing out of bed. She quickly kissed her twin on the temple. "Try to get some sleep," she mumbled before making her escape.

She immediately ran straight into Levi who was pacing the hall irritated. Kiara blinked, looking up at the man with confused eyes. "Levi, what are you doing here?" she asked, rubbing her nose which had collided with Levi's shoulder.

"Waiting for you! Why didn't you want me to come see you?!" He grabbed Kiara's arm and pulled her into him, automatically feeling her forehead.

"Huh? I don't remember..." She frowned for a moment. "Oh! I said I wanted you there because you're always so cold to the touch and Hange said she could go get you, but I told her to not bother because their dorm is filthy compared to your standards. I didn't want to trigger you or put you in a position like that."

Levi's mouth parted slightly as Kiara stared up at him confused. "Your sister is seriously asking for an ass kicking," he growled.

"Huh? She helped me though. I got better in no time under hers and Hange's care. Moblit made me a really weird soup and apples with cinnamon and honey on them. It was delicious... Though apparently I have to be careful of skipping meals now." Kiara sighed.

"Why?" Levi blinked.

"My iron is running low or something. It was why I was sick, I think. I'm bleeding this week so I have to make up for the blood I'm losing, but meeting the commander made me skip breakfast..." Kiara shrugged. The topic didn't embarrass her, after all, Levi had tried to explain sex to her and had been there when she had gone through her first cycle. He had been present every time she had had one since the first and had seen her bleed through her pants, whine from cramps, eat weird food, get angry, get sick... everything. This was nothing new for them.

"Then, we should go down to the mess hall and get you dinner. I hear they have mutton and potatoes tonight." Levi wrapped an arm around her waist automatically, steering the shorter woman in the right direction.

"I love mutton!" Kiara grinned excitedly. She absolutely loved meat. Fish and poultry were alright, but red meats were among her favorite food. So were potatoes and wild berries.

"I know, brat," Levi murmured, tugging on a lock of her hair affectionately. The words Erwin and Kyori had said earlier were weighing in his mind. He could just break this off now.. And Kiara would probably be better off. Kiara could find someone who didn't have hands as stained as his. If he were being honest with himself though, he doubted he would approve of anyone dating his Kiara. He didn't think he would actually be able to bear it if she found someone else.

"Hey, Levi," Kiara waved her hand in front of his face, "Are you still with me, corporal?"

Levi blinked at the use of his new title and rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm here," he groused. "I'm just trying to figure out something."

"Figure it out later! Try this mutton!" Kiara held up her fork with a piece of meat on it.

Levi didn't even remember reaching the mess hall, let alone when they had gotten their dinners and had sat down. He quickly opened his mouth and let her feed him the bite of meat. "It tastes like Mike has been cooking. That nose of his makes him a good cook."

"I know!" Kiara grinned and dug into her food. "I swear, Moblit, Kyori, and Mike are the best cooks in the scouts."

"So long as you're not the one cooking, I'm not complaining about the food," Levi deadpanned, watching Kiara's face turn crimson.

"Hey! I only tried cooking once and that was tea which I can make now just fine!" Kiara protested, pouting.

"I still don't want to risk it." Levi tousled Kiara's hair. "Your hair is long enough to braid again. Do you want me to braid it tonight?"

"Way to deflect, Levi." Kiara shot him a dirty look. "Though.. I do miss you braiding my hair."

Levi hid a smirk behind his cup of water, holding the cup by the rim. "Alright."

"Why do you hold your cup like that?" she asked, tilting her head. It was something she had been wondering about for the past year, but she hadn't had the chance to ask before.

"Huh?" Levi glanced at the cup in his hand. He was glad that dim lighting of the hall hid the heat he felt rising to his cheeks. "Oh.. I don't want to break it."

"What... Oh!" Kiara frowned. "Levi... I think that was a freak accident."

Levi shrugged, taking another drink. "Probably. I'm used to this now though."

Kiara watched him for a moment before picking up her own cup like Levi and trying to drink from it. Her nose hit her hand and the water inside sloshed over her face. "How the hell do you do that?" she sputtered, setting the cup down quickly.

Levi barely kept himself from laughing. He grabbed her chin and tilted her face towards his, wiping water off her face and neck with his handkerchief. "Practice," he murmured, keeping his hands gentle as he dried her off.

Could he actually give her up? He was starting to really doubt it. The way she tried to understand him and made him want to laugh... The feeling in his chest when he saw her blush or smile... It was becoming impossible to even think about giving her up.

Levi knew his soul was dark and twisted from the years he had spent in the underground. He knew Kiara was kind and bright even after the shit she had been through... But did any of that really matter? Did it matter if she still wanted to be with him regardless?

They would have to figure something out as far as going on missions and not endangering anyone, but he was starting to just not care. Even Captain Eyebrows supported them.

Kiara was watching him with a smile on her lips. He blinked, wondering why she looked amused. Ah... He was still holding her chin and his other hand was resting her neck over his handkerchief.

Levi quickly turned back to his food, clearing his throat. "Did you hear about our next expedition outside the walls?"

"Ah, you mean the one next week?" Kiara tilted her head.

"Yeah, they moved the date up a few days. I guess we got clearance a lot earlier than expected."

"So when do we leave now?"

"On Tuesday. It's gonna be a bitch with the cold weather, but at least we'll get back sooner. It's only supposed to be a two day mission anyways." Levi sighed, glad that they had received warmer uniforms, but he was not looking forward to the cold anyways. He hated winter.

"It's just a supply run. With how little sunlight there's been, we might not even have to deal with titans," Kiara pointed out. "If we are lucky, we could reach the fortress in half a day."

"Maybe." Levi shrugged, finishing his food. "You are riding with me this time, right?"

"No. Shadis wants me to ride by myself this time. He told me right before he bitched at me for not learning how to use 3DMG." Kiara groaned and buried her face in her arms. Horses were terrifying. She hated sitting on them alone.

Levi raised an eyebrow before gathering their plates. "Well, both are probably good for you to learn."

"Don't start," Kiara warned, standing up with him and taking their mugs to the kitchen to be washed by those on cleaning duty.

Levi rolled his eyes as they left their dishes on the counter. "I'll help you, don't worry. You just have to stop being so afraid of the horses. They're trained well enough. They won't buck you off or anything."

"Right..." Kiara rolled her eyes. She had been thrown off a horse her first time trying to ride one. Luckily, Farlan had caught her. Kiara hadn't gotten on one alone since then.

"The horse only did that because you were scared. It probably made the horse nervous too or some shit. That is what Isabel said in any case." Levi gave her a look as Kiara scoffed.

"It's fucking terrifying. I don't know how to handle being carried like that by something so big."

"The same way you do when I carry you on my back." Levi shrugged. "Climb on."

"What?" Kiara stopped in the middle of the hallway, looking at Levi incredulously.

"Climb on my back."

Kiara hesitated, blushing darkly and shaking her head. "Fuck no. Levi, I'm still bleeding. There's no way in hell I'm putting my legs around you or anything similar."

Levi blinked once before sighing. "Fine, but it's the same principle. You just have to trust the horse like you do me."

"It's easy to trust you." Kiara sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

Levi arched an eyebrow. "You can trust someone who has killed dozens of people more than you can trust a tame horse?"

"What are you talking about?" Kiara frowned, looking genuinely confused. "Levi, you never killed people out of pleasure. You always were dealing with people who were either human traffickers or rapists or thugs. Even when we stole, we did it from people who were wealthy enough to stand losing the money or goods."

"That doesn't necessarily justify it." He shrugged, not really wanting to get into this subject suddenly.

"Yes, it does. I'm not proud of our days in the underground or of the violence and shit we did. I know you and Kyori aren't exactly proud of it either, but we all did what we had to to stay alive. It's not like we murdered innocent people. In fact, you often saved people like Isabel and me."

Levi raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. "Who are we to judge who was or wasn't innocent?" he asked, now just curious how she would respond.

"I don't think it necessarily works like that. I mean, yeah, I don't think that we should judge people like that," Kiara started, furrowing her eyebrows in thought, "I think it's more like we did what we had to. We defended ourselves. Especially all of the human traffickers you and Farlan took down... That's a lot of people who would've been kidnapped, sold, raped, and murdered if it weren't for you guys. I would have been among them."

Levi blinked, staring at Kiara. He was just about to drag her into his arms and kiss her when Erwin approached them sporting a black eye from his fight with Levi earlier.

"Levi. Kiara." He nodded at them. "I was just looking for you. I wanted to talk to you, Levi. It's about the next expedition. Would you mind coming to my office?"

Levi scowled up at him as Kiara smiled. "Have fun!" She pressed her lips against the corporal's cheek and waved before quickly taking her leave.

Levi's mouth fell open as he watched Kiara walk away. He noticed she was walking slower than usual, but contributed it to her cycle. She was probably cramping or something.

"What do you need, Captain Cockblock?" Levi asked wearily, folding his arms.

"Come with me to my office," Erwin insisted, ignoring the new nickname. He knew Levi wouldn't go against the strict no sex rule anyway.

"Do you have the fireplace going?"

"Yes."

"Good. The weather in January is fucking terrible on the surface." Levi stormed off in the direction of Erwin's office.

* * *

Kiara smiled. She loved Thursdays. She was on cleaning duty with the rest of her squad. Cleaning was a relaxing and enjoyable activity after all the years she had spent cleaning with her family. She started humming softly as she swept a hallway.

 _"What if I fall and hurt myself, would you know how to fix me?"_ Kiara started to sing to herself quietly, hardly aware she was doing so. _"What if I went and lost myself, would you know where to find me? If I forgot who I am, would you please remind me? Oh, cause without you things go hazy..."_

She didn't notice Kyori or Levi stop at the other end of the hall, staring at her. She didn't even notice she was singing.

 _"I watched you sleepin' quietly in my bed. You don't know this now, but there's somethings that need to be said. It's all that I can hear. It's more than I can bear..."_ She started humming again before picking up the song. _"What if I fall and hurt myself, would you know how to fix me? What if I went and lost myself, would you know where to find me? If I forgot who I am, would you please remind me? Oh, cause without you things go hazy..."_

Kiara kept humming to herself in between verses, but suddenly stopped when she heard her twin breathe, "She's singing again."

Kiara blinked, pausing in her humming, and looked over her shoulder at her family. "Kyori? What are you doing here?"

Levi seemed to shake off his surprise and took a step forward. "I asked her to help me clean the bathrooms. Nanaba and Mike are shit at cleaning."

"Ah... Well, to be fair, Nana is new. She can't be expected to clean up to your standards," Kiara pointed out with a grin.

"Kiara... You were singing..." Kyori murmured, throwing her arms around her sister.

Kiara, startled, dropped her broom and hugged Kyori. "Ah, I guess I was.. Are you okay?"

"Do you know how long its been since I heard you sing last?!" Kyori demanded, sniffling. "It's been nearly five years!"

Kiara blinked several times, looking at Levi for answers. She didn't understand what the big deal was.

"Kiara... We missed hearing you sing," Levi mumbled, tugging on her braid gently.

Kiara looked between them before smiling a bit apologetically. "I'll sing whenever you want me to."

"I'm holding you to that," Kyori mumbled, pulling back and wiping at her eyes.

"Of course." Kiara replaced her sister's hands with her thumbs to brush away her tears. "Whenever you'd like."

* * *

On Tuesday, Kiara and Levi woke up a couple hours passed midnight. Kiara sat up abruptly, looking around dazed. The movement woke up Levi who had been dozing off wrapped around her.

"Nightmare?" he murmured, pulling her down back into his arms. It was too cold without her body heat pressed against him.

"Ah... I don't know. It wasn't scary. It was just really white. I think I was looking for something." Kiara spoke softly, being mindful of the sleeping men around them.

Levi blinked slowly as Kiara burrowed under the blankets and against him. "But you weren't scared?"

"I was a little, but I was too busy searching for the thing to be scared." Kiara sighed, wrapping around Levi tiredly.

Levi furrowed his eyebrows and pulled her closer to him. He wasn't sure what to make of that. It was vague and it wasn't like he could protect her from searching for something. She didn't even seem to need comforting. Instead, Levi tilted her face up from where she was buried in his chest.

"Kiara, I need to ask you something, but not here... Come with me to Erwin's office." Levi ran his fingers over her arm.

"It's cold," she whined, but got up anyways. She quickly changed into her uniform, making sure to put on her fleece lined leggings and sweater under her uniform to keep warm.

Levi followed suit and grabbed their blanket before grabbing Kiara's hand. They walked silently to Erwin's office, Kiara wondering why they were going there of all places and what Levi wanted to ask her.

When they reached the office, Levi opened the door and glanced at Erwin with a sigh. "Do you ever sleep?" he asked irritably.

"Wha...? Levi, this is my office. You know that, right?" Erwin looked over at Levi amused.

"You have a fireplace and I need to talk to Kiara in private." Levi shrugged.

"So, you came to my office." Erwin shook his head, standing up from his desk.

"It's the logical choice."

"I'm sorry, Captain," Kiara piped up, saluting.

"It's fine. Just no sex. I was about to go to bed anyways." Erwin threw a few logs on the fire and patted Levi's back, looking bemused at the flustered pair.

"I said talk!" Levi protested, narrowing his eyes.

"Mm... Goodnight, Levi and Kiara." Erwin smiled knowingly and left his office, shutting the door behind them.

Kiara stared after him, her mouth falling open slightly. "What just happened?" she asked as Levi led her to an armchair close to the fire.

"Erwin was just being a presumptuous shit," Levi grumbled, sitting down and pulling Kiara onto his lap. He quickly wrapped their blanket around them as Kiara snuggled against him.

"So, this is where you disappear to after training?" Kiara laughed softly.

"I have a feeling Erwin is just going to give me a key soon," Levi said dryly.

Kiara laughed softly, shaking her head. "You like him. Admit it."

"He's tolerable." Levi rolled his eyes. "That's not why I brought you here though."

"So, what is?"

Levi paused, running his fingers absently over her arms. "Do you really want to wait to be in a relationship with me?"

"Of course I do." Kiara raised her eyebrow. "Why are you asking?"

"Because... A relationship with me is going to be difficult. I'm six years older than you. I'm cranky and I have an obsession with cleaning... And I have-"

"Levi, I already know all that. I know everything. I have been by your side for nearly nine years. I know your bad side and your good side. I love everything about you. Of course I'm fine with waiting. I'll always wait." Kiara looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What if I don't want to anymore?" Levi asked quietly.

"Clarify that for me?" Kiara frowned, unsure of what he meant.

Levi sighed and pressed their lips together, hoping that that answered Kiara's question. Kiara blinked, but returned the kiss.

The kiss was lazy and languid, sending tingles through them. Kiara sighed into the kiss, running her fingers through his hair lightly. She was still confused, but pleasantly surprised the kiss. Kissing Levi always made her feel free and safe.

When they finally broke the kiss, Kiara rested her head on his shoulder, humming softly.

"Sing for me?" Levi murmured, his arms wrapped around her waist.

Kiara tilted her head up and smiled at Levi before nodding. She thought for a moment before she began humming a tune.

 _"When the sun found the moon, she was drinking tea in a garden under the green umbrella trees in the middle of summer,"_ she sang softly, her fingers stroking his cheek. _"When the moon found the sun, he looked like he was barely hanging on, but her eyes saved his life in the middle of summer. In the middle of summer, all was golden in the sky. All was golden when the day met the night..."_

Levi watched her singing for him, a small smile playing on his lips. Kiara's slightly upbeat song was contagious. He already felt glad that all the waiting bullshit was over, but to hear her sing again was only adding to his good mood.

 _"So he said, 'Would it be all right if we just sat and talked for a little while. If in exchange for your time, I give you this smile?' So she said, 'That's okay as long as you can make a promise not to break my little heart or leave me all alone in the summer.' He was just hanging around..."_ Kiara's eyes started drifting closed and her song was broken by a yawn.

Levi dipped his head and kissed her chastely, pulling her closer to him. One day, he wanted to hear the full song, but not right now. Erwin's clock told him it was three in the morning. Kiara needed sleep. "It's okay to fall asleep. You can sing to me tonight when we get to the fortress or back home."

"Yeah, but you're being really affectionate right now. I don't want to miss a moment." Kiara yawned again, wrinkling her nose cutely.

Levi hid his smile by kissing Kiara again. "What if I promise to kiss you when we wake up?"

"Mm, I guess that's good enough for now." Kiara sighed softly and nuzzled into his neck. It was definitely warmer here than in their dorm. Wrapped in the blanket and Levi's arms in front of the fire was bliss to Kiara. It wasn't long until the young woman was sleeping.

Levi doubted he would fall back to sleep, usually his insomnia wouldn't let him sleep for more than a few hours a night -if that. It had gotten better once Kiara had started sleeping with him years ago, in the sense of he didn't just fall asleep wherever he was sitting now. He liked cuddling with Kiara, so he would usually end up in bed with her most nights and end up falling asleep for three hours.

He kept kissing Kiara's temple and hair, glad to have her and the fire. He might just commandeer Erwin's office to sleep in at night like this. It was warm and comfortable.

* * *

Erwin let himself into his office and immediately looked to his armchair. He smiled when he saw the two shortest members of his squad curled up together (thankfully fully clothed).

Erwin glanced at the clock. It would be time to get ready to leave soon, but he could let them sleep for a little while yet. He threw some more wood on the fire that was almost dead.

He sat down at his desk, still grinning because honestly, Levi and Kiara were adorable. He started working on his paperwork, sending glances to the sleeping scouts every now and then.

After a little while, Levi stirring caught his eye. Erwin glanced up in time to see Levi shaking Kiara awake and greeting her with a kiss which made the redhead beam.

"Good morning," Kiara mumbled cheerily, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"Good morning," Erwin greeted them when all Levi did was hum in response.

Levi looked over at Erwin and rolled his eyes. "You are so creepy. Were you watching us sleep?"

"I remind you again, this is my office." Erwin shook his head, fighting off a smile.

"Fireplace." Levi shrugged, standing with the redhead and pulling her out of the office.

Erwin shook his head. He was really going to need to get Levi his own office with a fireplace.

* * *

Kiara shivered on her horse. Despite the fur and fleece lined clothing, she was still cold. Even her steed seemed cold going by the flicking of his ears. She drew her cloak closer around her as they rode past the wall.

It was nearly completely white out here. Without the walls to block the snow, it had fallen freely everywhere. Kiara had a vague sense of nostalgia seeing all of the snow, but didn't question it.

Kiara rode near Levi as the snow fell around them. The sky was the same dark gray as Levi's eyes. It made Kiara's lips curl into a happy smile. She loved Levi's eyes.

She turned to tell him so, but realized he was gone. The snow was falling heavier and the wind was loud in her ears. She felt a hard shudder pass through her.

"Levi?! Erwin?! Nanaba?! Mike?!" Her voice was lost in the wind, but she thought she heard a shout coming from her right.

Kiara blinked against the snow that was making it hard to see and turned right. Maybe she had missed a signal to turn. She wasn't sure, but in the worst case scenario, she could just backtrack or wait for the snow to lighten up. It would be fine. She had to believe that or she would panic.

"Okay, we'll find them soon... We've been this way before. We aren't lost. It's fine," she kept murmuring, unsure what she should do. She had never been lost before. She couldn't even see the sun to direct her.

Another shout came from ahead of her. Kiara spurned her horse on, trying to keep calm. She could barely see her horse's ears at this point. _Blizzard,_ her mind supplied.

Kiara sighed through chattering teeth. She really wanted her memories back. She heard yet another shout, but it seemed to be staying the same distance away...

"Hello? I got separated from my squad! Can you slow down?" she called, shivering more violently.

Suddenly, she was surrounded by trees as she galloped into a forest. Her heart sank. She must have gone in the wrong direction. The shouting she had heard must have been in her head. "Fuck!"

Kiara started to turn her horse around, but the beast reared back suddenly, chucking her off it. Kiara cried out in surprise, her body instinctively straightening to land on her feet.

"Come back!" Kiara demanded as the horse ran in the opposite direction. She would've tried chasing it, but she was too cold and stiff from riding. Kiara crouched in the snow instead, trying to get her bearings.

For now, she would need to climb a tree. She wouldn't be able to do anything from the ground. In fact, she was easy prey down here.

Last week, Kiara had made a pair of nets out of steel with sharp barbs that fit over the bottom of her boots. She needed traction to climb up trees and without the nets, it was impossible. The bottom of her boots simply didn't have enough grip.

Now, Kiara tugged her hands free of her gloves and scaled the nearest tree as quickly as her shaking limbs would allow. The cold bark hurt her hands and was hard to hang onto, but she was determined not to fall. She didn't stop until she was twenty meters up which took her a lot longer than it normally would have.

"There..." Kiara panted in the freezing air as she sat on a branch. "I should be safe from titans and be able to see anyone."

She exhaled a shuddering breath, drawing her body under her fur lined cloak to stay warm. "What the fuck have I gotten myself into now?" she grumbled, resting her head against the tree.


	11. Hunting High and Low

AN: I'm sorry that it's been so long. My holiday break was kind of... Crazy. In fact, I'm grateful I'm even alive to post this chapter *awkward laugh*. I put a lot of work into this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it.

There are a few little fun references in this chapter like from Doctor Who and Welcome to Night Vale. Also, the song about dancing is Indila's song Dernière Danse (which that last word does sound a bit like dance.)

School is starting again and at least one of my courses (Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion) is going to be extremely time consuming apparently. I'm not sure how my French Culture and Civilization will be yet, so I'm not certain how often I'll be updating. Please be patient with me.

* * *

 _"There's no end to lengths I'll go to find her again. Upon this my dreams are depending. Through the dark, I sense the pounding of her heart." -Coldplay_

Levi pulled his cloak tighter around himself as a sharp wind blew passed them. He silently debated asking Kiara to sing for him again. It would ease the boredom of riding through the white snowstorm and hopefully be distracting from the cold. Levi would probably never admit it aloud, but he had missed her singing during the years she had been mute.

Kiara had continued to play her lyre and the handpan Levi and Isabel had found on one of their missions, but it wasn't the same as hearing her smooth voice confidently singing words that he sometimes couldn't understand. Kiara had said that they were French or something that had to do with Danishes? He could never remember. Though, the strange words fell from her mouth only when she sang.

Levi sighed softly and decided to just ask Kiara to sing one of her French songs about dancing. He enjoyed that one.

"Where did Kiara go?" Nanaba asked from slightly ahead of him, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Levi froze on his horse. _What?_ He whipped his head around. Kiara should have been right behind him, but there was no one there.

"Erwin!" he shouted, kicking his horse to move faster to catch up with his captain.

"What's wrong?" Erwin blinked, looking at Levi and then behind them. "Where's Kiara?"

"I don't fucking know! She was next to me before this storm started!" Levi snapped. "We have to find her!"

"Levi, if you break away from the formation now, you'll only end up lost. Maybe another group has found her. We'll meet up at the fortress. If she isn't there, then we'll figure out what to do from there." Erwin frowned. "Right now the best course of action is to stick together until this storm clears."

"What if she's freezing to death?!" Levi demanded, looking absolutely livid.

"Then, you'll only be joining her in death. You know she wouldn't want that. Trust me, Levi. We won't abandon her. We are just going to go about this smartly."

Levi was ready to protest, but he just grit his teeth and fell back to his original spot. Kiara had mentioned seeing a lot of white and searching for something in her dream last night... but she hadn't been scared. He had to hold onto that. Kiara would be fine. She had to be.

Fuck. Why had this happened right after they had finally begun their relationship?

* * *

"THE FUCK YOU MEAN MY SISTER IS MISSING?!" Kyori screamed at Erwin, grabbing his stupid string tie thing and dragging him down to her eye level -an impressive feat in itself given the man towered over Kyori by fifteen inches.

"Listen, Kyori, the snow storm is just starting to die down. We don't want you to get lost, too. We need to discuss our options with Commander Shadis," Erwin tried reasoning, already certain that it was hopeless. He had seen how headstrong the young woman could be.

"No! Fuck you and your stupid logic and your ridiculous tie! She could die before you assholes get around to helping her! I'm going to go find my fucking sister and I will kill anyone who tries to stop me!" she snapped, shoving him away from her with all her power and making him stumble just slightly- another impressive feat considering Erwin was built heavily with muscle and Kyori's frame was so slight.

Warnings about insubordination died on Erwin's lips as Kyori stormed off, knowing she wouldn't listen. He had to admit, he liked watching her leave. Kyori had a nice sway in her hips when she was pissed. Erwin sighed, remembering Kyori was apparently only interested in women, and rolled his eyes. "Someone find Hange! Get her to stop Kyori. She's going to get herself killed if she goes out alone."

Nanaba rushed to obey the command, looking for the androgynous scout. When she finally found Hange, the brunette was arguing with Moblit about something that had to do with flat boards.

"Captain Hange! Kyori is trying to search for her sister!" Nanaba reported quickly and inefficiently.

"What? Where's Kiara?" Hange looked up from her chest.

"She went missing about two hours before we reached the fortress. We think the snow storm caused her to lose her way."

"Kyori's going to try to find her? Good luck stopping her," Hange snorted, shaking her head.

"Captain Hange! Kyori could end up lost too! She's in your squad! You need to stop her!" Nanaba frowned. "Moblit, please, do something!"

Moblit gave a long suffering sigh and grabbed Hange's arm, dragging the woman through the fortress towards the stables where Kyori would most likely be headed. Even if she wasn't, they would need horses to catch up with her. "Honestly, keeping you and Kyori out of trouble is a full time job. Do either of you know what self preservation is?" he asked wearily as they ran.

"Nope!" Hange cackled, now running of her own free will. She was fast on her feet.

Moblit only groaned in response and ran to keep up with Hange.

"You don't think my little ball of rage is actually going to go out searching for Kiara alone, do you?" Hange asked, growing a little nervous. She absolutely adored Kyori and the way the younger woman could work with her and still seemed to like her even when Hange wasn't paying attention to her.

"That's not even a question. The twins are really close. I would be surprised if Kyori didn't go out searching." Moblit ran harder to match Hange's increased speed.

Hange cursed under her breath. She needed to find Kyori before she left. At the very least they could put together a rescue squad so their chances would be higher. "Speaking of, where's Levi? Shouldn't he be freaking out about now, too?"

"I haven't seen him." Moblit frowned as they burst outside, looking for crimson in white surrounding them.

"Fuck. The titans are still active too. Maybe not as active as during summer, but still... Kyori could die out there from more than just the cold." Hange yanked her fur lined hood up.

"Did you find her?" Nanaba asked breathlessly as she and Mike joined them.

"No. We might need to organize two rescue parties." Moblit reported. "I would advise three to four man teams. Hange, Lynne, Luke, and I will make one team. Tell Erwin that it's advisable to take you two and Dita. Since the weather has calmed down we can use flairs. Yellow means we found someone. Black means there's an emergency."

Hange blinked at Moblit, but shrugged. The plan was sound enough for her. "What he said. Go inform Erwin and Shadis of the plan. Moblit and I are going to find Lynne and Luke and take off first."

* * *

Kyori had raced out of the fortress on foot long before Nanaba had reached Hange. She didn't question where Levi was -she didn't have to. Levi hadn't shown up with Erwin's squad. That could only mean she wasn't the only one searching for her sister.

Kyori was glad for all the times she had worked on running with her sister. She was still fast. Fast enough to keep pace with the horses so long as they were trotting. She contributed that to the damn injection she received as a baby.

She used it to her advantage now. Kyori would be damned before she let her sister die. Her small body ran through the packed snow expertly, ignoring the way the cold seemed to suck the air from her lungs -or maybe it was her panic from losing her sister that made her breath freeze in her chest.

For the first time, Kyori was grateful for being forced to train naked out in the cold every winter for nearly eight years. She could hardly feel the cold air around her. In fact, in all of her warm scouting gear, she felt hot. Dimly, she made a mental note to wrap her sister in her cloak when she found her.

She blinked as she saw a form approaching her from the distance. A frown formed on her lips. It wasn't a titan or a human. It was a horse without a rider. Kyori ran towards it, praying it belonged to her sister.

"Whoa," Kyori said, holding up her hands as she met the horse. It was Kiara's alright. Kyori remembered the white markings on the blond fur. "Where's your rider?"

The horse cocked an ear and seemed to glance behind him as if answering her question or wondering how his rider had appeared before him. Kyori let him sniff her hand and offered him an apple from her bag quickly. The horse ate it greedily.

"Do you think you can bring me back the way you came? I need to find my sister," Kyori explained urgently. Isabel had always insisted that horses could understand them... Kyori hoped that was true now.

The horse seemed to resign itself and Kyori quickly climbed on. She steered the horse back in the direction he had come. She spurred him into a gallop, desperate to find Kiara.

* * *

Levi hadn't been able to just sit idly by on his horse. Despite trying to trust his captain to know what was best and to believe in Erwin's words of wisdom, he couldn't just abandon Kiara. As soon as no one was looking, he broke away from the group, using the snow storm to cover him.

He had no way of knowing for sure which way Kiara went, but Kiara had been to his right. He doubted he would have missed her passing him, so he started riding back the way they had come, veering slightly right. He avoided the other squads, not wanting to be stopped.

He kept riding, cursing the cold. He didn't understand how Kiara had been able to train in just shorts and tank top up until last week. She had claimed that constant hard exercise was ample to keep her warm... But she was on a horse. She was probably just as cold as he was.

He sighed irritably as he reached a forest. He would only get lost here. Shit. Taking a steadying breath that hurt his lungs, Levi dismounted from his horse and started on foot, leading his horse by hand.

Searching for any signs of hoof prints, he started walking quickly along the line of trees. He was certain that Kiara had somehow made it to this forest. He just had to figure out where she had entered it from.

* * *

Kiara jerked awake as she felt something large and hot wrap around her. She didn't even remember falling asleep.

"What-t the actual fuck-k!?" she screamed, fighting against the hand squeezing her. "Shit! N-Not again!"

Kiara looked up at the titan holding her. She, because it was clearly a female, had chin length blonde hair and blue eyes... Blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence. "You.. You aren't like m-most t-titans are you?"

The titan blinked as Kiara tilted her head. She was so cold that she didn't care if she was eaten at this point. She couldn't even feel her body trembling. The titan's hand was warming her though. "C-Can you sp-speak? I mean I'm n-not eager t-to be eat-t-ten, not-t that I want-t hypothermia either."

The titan shook her head.

"At least-t you s-seem to understand m-me. I'm K-Kiara. No sur-surname that I know of-f."

The titan continued to eye her with confusion, bringing her to her face to study the redhead. Kiara rested her elbow on the titan's hand, cupping her chin as she relaxed. She was nervous being held like this, but she was too cold and tired to give a shit if she died. Even if the titan didn't eat her, she was certain she would die from the cold. At least the titan's hand was hot on her cold body.

"So, since you're c-clearly an intelligent-t t-titan, wh-where do we g-g-g-go from here?" she asked through chattering teeth.

This seemed to spurn the titan into action. Suddenly the titan was running with Kiara, holding her tightly in her hand. Kiara groaned, the movement making her nauseated, but only clung to the titan's thumb. She didn't feel like she was in any immediate danger, except from passing out.

* * *

Kyori didn't take long to find the spot her sister had been, at least if the horse had led her to the right spot. She could clearly see marks from Kiara's boots in a nearby tree, so she assumed it was.

Kyori immediately used her 3DMG to scale the tree and frowned. Her sister was nowhere to be seen. "Kiara? Where are you?!" Kyori cried out as loudly as she could.

She froze as her gaze fell downwards to the snow. There were clearly titan footprints leading west. Kyori cursed under her breath and dropped to the ground. There was no blood... Not even a sign of a struggle.

Kyori hopped back on her steed and galloped after the footprints. They weren't very fresh, but they were a start. She refused to acknowledge that her sister might have been eaten.

* * *

Levi growled low in his throat when he reached the northern edge of the forest without any sign of Kiara. He must have missed any signs of her or she must have entered further south. Shit. He should have kept his eyes on her.

He turned himself and his horse around, storming through the snow. He kept his eyes peeled for any sign of a disturbance in the foliage or snow, urgently trying to find his lover.

* * *

Erwin sighed from on top of his horse. He had only known Levi and Kiara for half a year, but he liked them. They were in his squad. He cared about them. It was why he let them sleep together against protocol. It was why he let Levi into his office to warm up after training outside in the cold nearly every day.

It was why his eyes were peeled now, searching for any trace of them in the white landscape surrounding his impromptu rescue squad.

"Mike, can you smell anything?" he asked, growing frustrated. They had reached the place they had estimated Kiara had veered off course, but the snow had completely covered any tracks.

"You think I can sniff them out?" Mike raised an eyebrow, but sniffing the air anyways. "I'm pretty sure that the wind blew their scents away."

"Keep trying, please. We might get lucky." Erwin sighed again, ignoring Mike's comment that he wasn't a bloodhound and observing his surroundings. There was little chance the redhead had gotten turned around enough to head north to Wall Maria again.

Their formation had had Kiara to Levi's right, bringing up the rear. She was supposed to be two horse lengths behind Levi... Erwin narrowed his eyes. He knew that wasn't likely to be the case. The woman was still skittish on a horse. In training, she usually stuck to Levi's side. It was unlikely that Kiara had done as she was told today. She had probably been no further than five feet from Levi. If Kiara had strayed east, she would have likely run straight into Levi.

That left south and west. Going directly west without it being intentional was unlikely. She would have had to turn and follow a straight path... but she wasn't at the fortress that was south of here...

Erwin looked to his left, his eyes scanning the western horizon. He could barely make out a forest spanning it. It would be easy to get lost there...

"We're going to make for that forest going southwest," he instructed.

* * *

"Kyori! Little ball of rage!" Hange called like she had been for an hour. Her voice was hoarse from shouting and she had already attracted two titans to them that Lynne and Luke had taken care of.

"Captain Hange, you aren't going to find her by screaming. You're just attracting titans," Moblit chastised her.

"How can I not scream?!" Hange yelled, tears seeping slowly out from behind her goggles. "Kyori is gone!"

"You've lost plenty of friends and squad members before! Keep your head!"

"I love her! This isn't just like losing a friend, dammit!" Hange snapped, making Moblit roll his eyes. It was pretty obvious Hange was attracted Kyori, but he had a feeling that Hange was just speaking in the moment.

"Either way, you won't find her if we keep getting slowed down by titans," Luke pointed out, trying to help Moblit prove his point.

"Hey, I found someone!" Lynne shouted from ahead of them, already shooting a yellow flare into the sky.

They had been following Kyori's footprints along the tree line. A while ago, the footprints had changed to hoof prints, indicating she had found a horse to ride.

Hange's head snapped up as she spurred her horse faster. She jumped right off it and tackled Levi to the ground. "Shorty! Have you seen Kyori?!" she demanded, pinning him to the ground.

"What the fuck?! Get off me, shitty four eyes!" Levi snapped, feeling snow soak into his hair.

"Have you seen her?" Hange persisted, tears fogging her glasses.

"No! What the hell?! You can't even keep track of Kyori now?! I thought only Kiara was missing!" Levi kicked Hange off of him and stood up quickly.

"When Kyori found out Kiara was missing, she took off," Moblit explained, dropping on the snow next to Hange as Luke chased down her horse. He helped Hange to her feet, frowning faintly.

"And what are you guys doing out here? Rescue?" Levi sneered. His worry over Kiara, and now Kyori, was making him pissy.

"That's exactly what we are." Erwin's squad came up to them quickly, all looking cold and irritated.

Levi glanced up at Erwin in irritation, folding his arms. "I'm not apologizing for trying to find her."

"I don't expect you to, but you and Kyori are both being punished for insubordination. Shadis is pissed." Erwin frowned, dismounting and placing his hand on Levi's shoulder.

"Tch. I don't care. Help me find them, Erwin." Levi glared up at him.

"We are going to. We'll do everything we can to recover Kiara and Kyori."

Mike frowned and looked around, sniffing the air. "Captain..."

"What is it?" Erwin turned to look at his lieutenant.

"I... think I caught Kiara's scent," he murmured, "It's really faint and... it's mixed with a titan's."

Everyone froze at those words, looking over at the tall blond man. Kiara's scent was mixed with a titan's... before anyone could say anything else, Levi grabbed Mike's cloak roughly.

"Where?" he hissed, glowering up at him.

Mike snorted and removed Levi's hands. "Not far. Watch yourself. You only get in more trouble."

Levi glared and stepped away. Logically, he knew that Mike had said those words for his benefit, but he didn't care if he got in trouble. He just wanted to find the last of his family.

Mike nodded once when he saw Levi attempting to control himself and led the way into the foliage, tuning Hange's ranting out like he always did.

"Here. She climbed up this tree," Nanaba said, pointing out the scuff marks from Kiara's boots.

"I smell someone else too. Their scent is stronger. Maybe Kyori." Mike frowned. There was hardly anyone else it could be.

Hange blinked, taking off her goggles and cleaning them. "Kyori was through here?"

"These were probably her tracks," Lynne pointed to a set of hoof prints leading farther west. "Why would she go that way?"

Dita, who had followed Levi up the tree, answered in a grim voice. "Because there are titan tracks going west."

"There's no sign of a struggle or any blood. If a titan had engaged with Kiara or Kyori, wouldn't we have seen something?" Luke asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure," Hange murmured and took a step forward, surveying the area now that she had calmed down. "It could have swallowed her whole. Kiara's been missing for nearly four hours now. In this cold, she could have been too weak to fight. She might have even caught hypothermia and fallen asleep... There wouldn't be much struggle then..."

Levi shot Hange death glare and kept looking down from the branch he was perched on. It was devoid of any snow in a shape that seemed to indicate someone had sat there for a while.

"I doubt it..." Dita frowned, looking down at the tracks. "Look at the way the tracks are spaced out. The titan ran away. There's a chance Kiara escaped and it chased her or it ran with Kiara."

"Is there really? Even for an abnormal it would be unusual for it to just run away with her." Hange looked up confused.

"Maybe Kiara or Kyori ran away with a horse and the titan chased them?" Nanaba suggested.

"No, the tracks from the horse are fresher than the titan's," Erwin interjected, examining the tracks.

Levi frowned, leaping over to the closest tree west of him. There were no signs of anything having disturbed the snow. Kiara would have ran from tree to tree in an attempt to escape. Unless she climbed higher in the first tree.. But he hadn't seen any sign of her boots going any farther up than twenty meters. It was unlikely that she had made it up farther without leaving any evidence behind... Levi swallowed and let himself drop to the ground.

"Levi... I'm sorry, but the only logical conclusion I can draw from the evidence is Kiara was taken out of the tree by the titan. She didn't put up a struggle because she was too cold. The titan swallowed her whole. Kyori figured this out or saw it and chased after the titan on horseback," Erwin murmured, putting his hand on Levi's shoulder.

"I think it would be more of Kyori figured it out and chased after the titan... But why would the titan run?" Hange bit her lip. "That makes no sense unless there were more humans over there..."

"The best we can do is follow the tra-" Erwin started.

"Kiara. Is. Not. Dead." Levi's voice was quiet and oddly calm.

"Levi..." Erwin sighed. "The most we can do is track the titan and the horse. Kiara may be alive, but you need to prepare for the worst. We can only follow the tracks for a few miles. Then, we have to turn back."

Levi grit his teeth and glared up at Erwin. He knew Kiara wasn't dead. It wasn't possible. He would have felt it if she wasn't in this world anymore.

* * *

Kyori raced after the tracks of the titan she was hunting. She couldn't see the titan through the forest she was galloping through, but she was going to get revenge if the titan had killed her sister. Her twin was alive though. She had to be. Kyori would know if her twin was dead.

She was so focused on chasing the titan, she flinched when she heard a loud crashing noise from her left. Her horse reared up skittishly, but Kyori clung to the animal. "Hey, calm down. We need to keep going!" she told the horse sternly.

The horse wasn't impressed by her and quickly tried bucking his rider off as a huge titan with strange armor-like skin crashed through the trees. Kyori lost her balance this time, but didn't care. She was already shooting her hooks into the nearest tree and pulling herself to it.

Kyori swung herself around the titan, feet barely skimming the snow on the ground as she retracted her hooks. She shot one out again, aiming for the titan's shoulder where she landed lightly.

"Sorry. I hate to do this because your skin is definitely interesting and worth studying, but I don't have time for you. I need to find my sister," Kyori growled, drawing her swords and jumping into the air.

She twisted through the air as she came down in a fit of fury, her blades running through the titan's neck... Or at least that was the plan. Her blades broke on contact with the hardened skin of the titan. She felt a sharp stinging on her arms and face, but ignored it.

The titan seemed to sigh as it let out a steaming breath and reached behind it, grabbing for Kyori with a growl.

"What the fuck?!" Kyori narrowly dodged its hand, trying to figure out just why her swords had broken without leaving so much as a scratch on the titan.

Growing more irritated, the redhead put away her triggers and pulled out her sai instead. She quickly elongated the twin blades and slammed them into the titan's hard nape, only to have her sai shatter. She felt the force of the impact shake her arms painfully.

"That's... Not possible..." Kyori gaped at her aching hands and arms, narrowly avoiding the titan's other hand. Her blades had been made of the strongest metal and were unbreakable.. Until now. They were her prized possessions next to her ocarina and a guitar Farlan and Isabel had given her before her eighteenth birthday.

"How in the fuck am I supposed to kill you? Acid?" the redhead demanded hotly, swinging around to the front of the titan's face and glowering at it as if it had personally offended her with its hard skin.

To her surprise, the titan shrugged. It stunned the young woman into silence. When the titan reached out this time, it captured her in its fist. Kyori frowned and struggled against the hold, growing pissed. "Hey, if you can understand me, put me the fuck down," she ordered, slamming her fist into the titan's thumb angrily.

The titan shook its head, seeming to sigh again. Kyori blinked, staring up at it open mouthed for a long moment. "So... you can understand me."

The titan nodded and Kyori realized that while it was holding her firmly, it wasn't doing her harm. "Are you about to eat me?" she asked wearily. "I don't fancy the idea of being eaten, but as far as deaths go, I guess it has an element of symmetry. Going feet first down a slimy tunnel does anyways..."

Despite her babbling, the titan was shaking its head. "Okay... So, that's good... Have you seen my sister? She looks exactly like me only with shorter hair probably in a braid."

The titan stared at her for a moment before sighing again. It nodded, looking as weary as a titan could look. "Where?! Can you bring me to her? Is she alive?" Kyori demanded, brushing blood out of her eyes.

The titan rolled its eyes, literally rolled its eyes, and tapped Kyori on the head hard enough to knock the woman out.

* * *

Kiara groaned as she woke up again, immediately sitting up from where she was lying on a cold dank floor. The first thing she noticed was that she couldn't see. The second was that she couldn't move her arms. At least she wasn't freezing anymore.

"Ah, you're awake," a sympathetic male voice said. Kiara felt someone kneeling in front of her, helping her to sit up properly.

"Why the blindfold and binds?" Kiara asked dryly, testing the metal bonds gingerly. They weren't coming off anytime soon.

"A safety precaution. We can't have you escaping and giving enemies information if you're not favorable to our mission."

"Then, why keep me alive?"

The man seemed to hesitate and Kiara tilted her chin up in defiance, challenging him.

"You are Kiara Saxon, right?" the man asked slowly. "You look like the girl I met."

"I'm Kiara. I have no surname." Kiara frowned.

"You have a twin sister, yes?"

Kiara blinked against her blindfold. "Yes. Kyori... What the hell? How do you know about us?"

"I met you once when I was eight. You and your sister were four. I remember the catalyst accelerating you both. I was supposed to receive it too, but after the first success, the laboratory was attacked by Elyian terrorists. Nothing, including the scientists, was saved from that fire."

"I... I really don't know what you're talking about." Kiara swallowed nervously. She couldn't think properly. "Why do you need us?"

"Did you get amnesia or something?" the man demanded, sounding irritated.

"Actually... yes." Kiara tilted her head. "I don't remember anything from before coming.. here," she said carefully, blocking out her memories of the past eight years. She had a terrible feeling about the man. She didn't want him to know anything and her lying hadn't improved much.

Kiara frowned when the sound of a cell door being opened echoed around her.

"Sir, we found the other twin. I had to knock her out. She was irritating me." A new voice said as there was a soft thumping noise next to Kiara.

Kiara immediately started struggling to get closer to the noise, hoping her sister was okay. She could feel in her heart that the noise she had heard had been her sister's body falling to the ground.

"She's still alive. The catalyst won't let you two die so easily," the first voice muttered. "Good thinking to try searching for the other twin."

"I figured they would be close together. They're supposed to be helping us infiltrate these walls, right?" The second voice sounded like a child's voice almost. A male child nearing puberty probably, Kiara reasoned, trying to collect herself.

"Yes. I'm positive that these are the Saxon twins. They look just like their mother, Sayuri... Just as small and deadly too. There is no way this is a mistake. They even have red hair like Harry." The man seemed to sigh. "However, this one claims she has amnesia. I still don't know if I believe her or not."

"Walls keep us safe," Kiara cursed, finally settling down as she felt her leg bump into Kyori's foot. "I am not lying! I don't know who you are or what you're talking about!"

"Sir, are we sure that they didn't go native?" A bored female voice asked.

"That's a very good possibility... You will all have to be careful about that after the plan. Also, be careful of giving anything of yourselves away. I doubt they will escape from their shackles and cell, but just in case they do, we can't risk the mission being jeopardized because they recognized you."

Kiara glowered through her blindfold. She would escape with Kyori, but it was clearly going to be difficult getting information to relay to Shadis. She gingerly tested the metal shackles holding her hands behind her back. They were tight enough that Kiara was certain that she wouldn't escape them even if she broke her thumbs and had hot oil. Her legs were shackled together too. Neither gave much room for leeway. She had no idea how long it would take to escape.

"All of you, go get a meal prepared. You're on the front lines, so stay out of here. If they escape before we turn them back to our side and recognize you, we'll be screwed royally." The man seemed to doubt his ability to hold on to the twins at least... but that was just going to make it harder to slip past his defenses. Kiara sighed in annoyance.

There was the sound of a several pairs of feet leaving and then the clanging sound of a cell door being closed. After a long moment, the man spoke again.

"Listen, you may have amnesia. You may not. You were on our side though before you were set on this mission."

Kiara frowned, shaking her head. "I would never betray the people living in the walls. I don't care about your reasoning or anything. It's not moral."

"What has your family ever known about morals?" The man snorted. "We have every reason to believe that you two killed your parents. Not mention I've seen your parents punishing you. Fucking perverted freaks."

Kiara frowned, looking affronted. She was more certain than ever that this man had them mixed up with another pair of sisters. There was no way that they had killed their own parents and she doubted that her parents would have harmed her in a perverted way... but you can't remember before you came to the walls, a voice whispered in her head, Kyori took your memories... and probably for a good reason.

"We... didn't kill our parents," Kiara growled.

"How would you know?" Kiara felt the man's breath on her face as he whispered softly.

"Because she didn't kill anyone. I did." Kyori's voice came from Kiara's left sounding livid and groggy.

"What?" Kiara turned her head in the direction of her sister's voice.

"So you admit to the murder of two people." The man's voice sounded amused and slightly triumphant.

"I admit to defending myself and my sister from sexual abuse," Kyori hissed. "I was ten."

"Ten and capable of murder. Those freaks really raised twisted children."

"Kyori... What is he talking about? What's going on?" Kiara frowned, feeling sick at the direction the conversation was going. "And you, don't you fucking dare call my sister or me twisted or I'll cut your balls off."

There was a pregnant pause, making Kiara shift uncomfortably. "Kyori... What happened before I can remember?" Kiara tried again, her eyebrows furrowing.

"You don't want to know. All of it was my fault and you don't need to know about it." Kiara heard her sister sit up. "I am guessing you want us alive. Get us some fucking water. We're going to become dehydrated soon."

"For now, it's in the best interest to the cause to keep you alive and get you on our side." The man hummed softly. "So, this time, I will abide by your request. It will do you good to figure out you can't escape in any case."

The man stood up and soon enough, they heard the cell open and close. Kyori wasted no time in removing her blindfold by using Kiara's shoulder to push it over her eyes.

Kiara blinked as she felt her sister's mouth on her temple, teeth closing over the fabric covering her eyes. Kyori tugged the fabric off swiftly. The two sisters carefully looked each other over silently, making sure neither was injured. Kyori had several deep lacerations, but they were already stitched up. Other than that, they appeared to be unharmed.

"Kiara... I'm sorry for this, but I can't let you remember anything while we're here. I'll let all of your memories go once we escape, but these people are going to try everything they can to get information out of us." Kyori spoke in a hushed whisper.

"Wait! Kyori, I don't want to lose them again! Please!" Kiara looked horrified as she pleaded with her sister.

"Kiara, don't be a damn child right now! I'll return them as soon as we escape! It's dangerous! Do you want to risk it?!" Kyori hissed.

"Risk what?!" Kiara glared at her sister, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Giving them information," Kyori responded softly, "and getting everyone killed."

"But..."

"There's no time, Kiara. Trust me." Kyori scowled, not looking very trustworthy.

Kiara hesitated, feeling her heart break. "Don't let me do anything to hurt them?" she asked, biting her lip. She wouldn't be able to bear it if she hurt Levi or jeopardized any of the scouts... but was forgetting them really the best choice?

"I promise," Kyori murmured. She pressed their foreheads together and focused on sealing all of her sister's memories. Every. Single. One.

* * *

"Oh god." Lynne murmured, riding at the front of the group. She drew her horse to a halt and climbed down.

"What is it?" Levi snapped, rushing forward. His stomach dropped. Only a couple miles from where they had first spotted the prints were clear signs of a struggle. Blood splattered in the snow. Signs on a tree where someone had used their 3DMG. A dead horse... Kiara's horse. Levi recognized it. It had been stepped on.

He climbed off his horse and wandered over to the dead animal. The last of his family was gone. He couldn't believe it.

Hange drew up beside him, her hands coming up to cover her mouth as she surveyed the scene. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

"They're dead," Erwin's voice was calm and collected, but he was clearly upset. Levi wasn't sure if he was upset over losing two assets to the corps or because they had lost Kiara and Kyori as people.

"We don't know that yet," Nanaba spoke up, surprising everyone. "It's only blood... It's not like there is body parts or something."

The argument sounded weak, even to Levi. There was blood everywhere... while he trusted Kyori and Kiara were strong enough to deal with titans, there were so many variables and the evidence was right before him.

He still couldn't believe it. He loved Kyori. He was in love with Kiara. He should have known if they were gone. He had felt his heart being torn out when he watched Farlan die and when he found Isabel's head... but was that just because he had seen it with his own eyes?

"Levi, we can't risk going farther. It's going to be dark soon and colder. We have to head back." Erwin sighed heavily, preparing for a battle with shorter man.

To his surprise, it wasn't Levi that kicked up a fuss. Levi was too stunned to fight at all. He was lost in his own thoughts.

"We can't just abandon them!" Hange shouted, rounding on Erwin furiously. "What if they are alive! Kyori is in my squad... I won't just leave her behind!"

"Hange," Moblit grabbed her arm, "Kyori wouldn't want us to search for her at the risk of losing more squad members. We don't even know if she is alive or dead. We need to get back before someone freezes to death."

Hange glared up at him, pushing her goggles up to her hair to prevent her tears from fogging them. "But what if she's alive?! I can't just abandon her!"

"Captain Hange Zoë! You need to calm down!" Moblit ordered, folding her in his arms to comfort her. "We can't risk going farther. We'll go back. If we get clearance, we can try finding them tomorrow. For now, we need to go back."

Hange struggled against Moblit's hold for a moment before slumping against him, biting her lip to keep from crying aloud. She had to be more composed than this. She had a squad to lead.

"Levi," Erwin said gently once Hange had calmed down. "You're going to need to be cuffed. You disobeyed direct orders. Shadis is planning on punishing you already."

Levi shot Erwin a dark look, his steely eyes narrowed. "I need to keep searching."

"You can continue your search next time we leave the walls. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can do and that is if Shadis decides going west will benefit us." Erwin sighed, not wanting to fight with Levi. "If you cooperate now, you might even get clearance to look tomorrow. I'll try to talk to Shadis."

Levi glowered, clearly not happy with Erwin, but after a moment, he held his arms out to be cuffed together. "How am I supposed to ride like this?"

"You'll ride in front of Mike." Erwin sighed, enclosing Levi's wrists in cold metal that bit into his skin. Levi rolled his eyes and allowed Erwin to help him up onto Mike's horse. He couldn't have climbed the horse by himself with his hands bound tightly together like this.

"I'm trusting you, Eyebrows. Help me find them tomorrow on the ride home." Levi glared down at his captain, daring him to argue.

"I'll do everything I can, Levi."

* * *

AN: As a last note, I have a head canon that the setting for SNK takes place on an island between Denmark and Germany. Mostly because of all the German names and the recent chapters where they finally get to the goddamn basement. So, Kiara and Kyori are originally from Denmark and were taught a few languages because who the hell knows for sure what the people in the walls speak? They travelled from Germany to the walls. I might show more of their childhood later. I'm not sure yet. If you have a comment or suggestion, feel free to leave one! I live off feedback.


	12. I Dare You

AN: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I apparently got tennis elbow from writing too much, so I had to take a break. In fact, I still have it, but I can't go too long without writing this fic. I hope whoever is still reading it enjoys this chapter :D

* * *

"So put me in a cage. Lock me in a room. Throw away the key. I dare you. I'll break down the walls- a high heel wrecking ball. I won't let you tear me down." -Bea Miller

Kyori snapped her head away from Kiara's as footsteps approached. She couldn't risk their capturers suspecting anything, so she leaned back against the wall and watched her older sister curiously. She was feeling a little drained after sealing Kiara's memories.

A man, who was older than them by a few years, opened the door and walked in, holding two canteens. He approached their cell, his gaze fixating on Kiara's blank stare. "What happened to her?" he asked irritably.

"Kiara is just spacing out. It happens from time to time," Kyori lied easily as her sister turned to look at her.

Kiara blinked several times as intelligence returned to her sapphire eyes. "What... What did I miss?" she asked hesitantly, discretely trying to get her hands free again.

"Nothing, Kiara. The man who had us kidnapped is just returning, hopefully with water." Kyori leveled her icy gaze on the older man.

"The man who..." Kiara blinked, looking over at the blond man as she realized she was stuck in a cell.

The man furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the two young women hard. "Something isn't right with her. What happened?" He demanded again.

"I told you. Kiara spaced out. It happens." Kyori glared at him defiantly. "She won't be of any use to you. Kiara has amnesia. She can't remember anything."

"You both are going to help us with our plan like you were meant to," the man snapped.

"Or else what?" Kyori snorted, looking far too relaxed for someone chained to a wall.

"Or you'll become titans." The man smirked triumphantly when he saw the color drain out of Kyori's face.

"You wouldn't," Kyori growled.

"If you're not going to help us willingly, then you will help us as mindless beasts." The man shrugged and tossed the canteens on the twins' laps.

Kyori narrowed her eyes as Kiara looked between them blankly. She didn't understand why Kyori was so set against helping the man, but she trusted the woman she knew was her twin.

It was disconcerting to realize she had no memories. There was nothing for her to draw on to give her a reason to trust the woman beside her except for a feeling. A feeling that told Kiara her twin was the only one she could trust right now. A flicker of something flashed through her mind. It was just a face scowling with gray-blue eyes, but it made her think that maybe there was someone else she trusted. She couldn't remember them though and that hurt her heart.

"You wouldn't dare," Kyori hissed again, her eyes narrowed.

"What is he talking about?" Kiara demanded, fear spiking through her body.

"If we refuse to help him... He'll turn us into titans and we'll be mindless... We'll only want to eat humans. We won't recognize friend from enemy… and they won't recognize us." Kyori glared up at the man, disgust twisting her pretty features.

Kiara blinked several times before she remembered what a titan was. "He wants to turn us into one of those things?!" she spat.

"Not if you cooperate," the man interjected, frowning faintly. He couldn't figure out what exactly was going on with Kiara. She had been downright defiant before he had left... but now she seemed almost like she really didn't know anything at all. That wasn't possible though. The Saxon twins had gone on their mission eight years ago. They couldn't have survived here without having infiltrated the walls... Nor could they have made the journey here without encountering a single titan...

The man narrowed his eyes and pulled out a sharp knife. He let himself into the cell and knelt beside Kiara. Both twins were watching him wearily.

"Why aren't we cooperating with him?" Kiara asked nervously, trying to shift away from the man instinctively. He gave her a terrible feeling.

"Because he's a bad man. What the fuck are you doing?" Kyori snarled as the man jerked Kiara against him and held her down.

"Checking to see if she has a head injury," the man answered mildly, using his knife to cut Kiara's hair.

"What?! I don't have a head injury!" Kiara stayed painfully still though, not wanting to risk getting injured from the knife shaving her head.

"I can't come up with any other explanation as to why your memory is completely gone." The man shrugged, not convinced by the amnesia story Kyori had given him.

Kyori growled low in her throat, but couldn't move very far from where she was chained to the wall. "I told you! She has amnesia!"

"She was fine before I left." The man continued shaving the young woman's head, slightly concerned he would find evidence of an injury. They didn't really have medical supplies here because there was absolutely no need for them.

"Honestly? Fuck you," Kiara grumbled, completely disgruntled by the man she was now calling _fanden_ (devil) in her head.

Once Kiara was completely bald, Fanden inspected her scalp thoroughly, looking for any signs of trauma. Finding none, he narrowed his eyes. "This goes beyond amnesia. What the fuck is going on here?" He demanded, glaring at Kyori angrily.

"She has amnesia!" Kyori insisted as the man stood up.

"Fine! Play your game. I'll give you a month to decide if you will help us or not." The man sneered and kicked Kyori hard in the ribs.

Kyori, for her part, didn't flinch. The only sign she had been hurt was the small exhale that left her lungs on impact.

"Just turn us now because there is no way in hell I'm helping you after you kicked my sister, Fanden!" Kiara snapped, thrashing against her shackles angrily. Kyori shot her sister a smirk at the nickname Kiara had given him.

The man snorted and left the cell, locking it behind him. "If the two of you are going to be difficult, I fully intend to see how far I can break you before I turn you."

Kiara and Kyori narrowed their eyes, growling at the threat. They wouldn't break easily by any means.

* * *

By the end of the first two weeks, both twins were sleep deprived, starving, and dehydrated. The only blessing they had was the small latrine in their cell that they both could thankfully reach despite being chained to a wall. Their kidnapper made sure to give them one drink of water a day and a little bread every few days to keep them alive, but only just.

Even Kyori was doubting how long her body would last if they did manage to escape... Into titan territory... With no weapons. They didn't even have Kyori's 3DMG; it had been lost when she was abducted.

They had at least managed to get their chained hands in front of them thanks to their flexibility. They had taken to sleeping curled around each other for warmth and comfort.

"Kyori... I'm tired," Kiara mumbled, nuzzling her sister's shoulder.

"Go to sleep?" Kyori suggested dryly.

"I'm too worried..." Kiara sighed, resisting the urge to rub at her bloody wrists. They were chafed and aching from the amount of times she had tried to free herself.

"Want me to sing you to sleep?" Kyori suggested, carding her fingers through her hair.

Kiara shrugged, closing her eyes tiredly. Kyori took that as her cue to continue.

" _I will rise in resistance. Sing the oath of rebellion. End cease-fire on this high wire. Head to toe in vanity. When those eyes in the mirror stare back at me, I'm reminded that the ghost of pride is clear to see. Wipe away the weakness. Will you let those scars define you or will they adorn you as we carve our way to victory? Doubt is crying out but I refuse to let it drown me, wearing down my fight till nothing's left_ ," she sang, knowing that the man in charge of their kidnapping could hear them. He was usually right outside their cell, keeping guard. She wanted to show him that there was absolutely nothing they could do to break them…. Or at least try.

" _I say crier. I say liar. I say rise in hell. I stand gazing down at death as they say... War. I'll wage war. I hate war. They say fight for peace… but what is that? Raise a shield to the bullets. Hold my ground, all I got now, but I'm defenseless, all but helpless if it gives beneath my feet. I turn from the mirror, that desperate plea. I refuse and can't believe those eyes belong to me._ " Kyori ran her fingers over Kiara's scalp, scowling at the smoothness.

" _Come on, one more breath, my ravaged voice betrays me mid-shout. Will you never hear those final words I failed to choke out? I tried to survive by putting all my faith in instinct, but now I regret – what have I done? I say crier. I say liar. I say rise in hell. I am just about to burst as they say… war. I'll wage war. I hate war. There's no end to this, can't you see that?_ " The door opened, but Kyori ignored Fanden, focusing on her sister's slow breathing and the song.

" _A cowardly façade weaves into my voice as I call for war, blinded by this far-fetched noble cause. Although I had a choice, I believed the lies, but it's all a dream, ending when I open up my eyes. Come on, one more breath my ravaged voice betrays me mid-shout. Will you never hear those final words I failed to choke out? I tried to survive by putting all my faith in instinct, but now I regret – what have I done?_ "

Kiara was definitely asleep now, snoring softly on Kyori's shoulder. The man cleared his throat, but Kyori pointedly ignored him.

" _I say crier. I say liar. I say rise in hell. I stand gazing down at death as they say… war. I'll wage war. I hate war. They say fight for peace… Does it exist? My hand, can you reach it? My cry, can you hear it? Can you, can you tell me if this 'dream' was worth it? My hand, can you reach it? My cry, can you hear it? Can you, can you help me? Wake me from this nightmare._ "

As the song finished, Kyori finally turned her gaze up to Fanden, fire coursing through her indigo eyes. "What do you want?" she asked quietly. "If you wake her, you won't like my reaction."

Fanden raised an eyebrow at the woman, clearly curious what Kyori could possibly do in her position. He seemed to decide against trying though. "Why are you so set on siding against us?" he asked softly, sitting on the ground.

Kyori regarded him coldly, her hand falling from Kiara's scalp to her shoulder. "Do we need a reason?"

"I'm curious about your motives. It would be so much easier for you to join us like you were trained to."

"What does it matter? Our minds won't change. You might as well turn us now." Kyori rolled her eyes.

"In other words, you went native.. You have people you care about inside the walls, don't you?" The man propped his chin in his hand, looking faintly disgusted. Kyori didn't answer, but that was enough for him to confirm it. "These people brought this on themselves. Their ancestors were the ones who started this whole titan bullshit."

"I personally don't give a shit who started what." Kyori shrugged. The past was the past for a reason. What mattered was that they had loved ones in the walls. Levi... Hange... Moblit... Farlan and Isabel wouldn't want them to betray Levi either... Levi had raised, protected, and loved them when he didn't have to. There was no way in hell Kyori was going to side against one of the only family members she had left.

"What about the catalyst?" The man tried switching tactics. "You were gifted with it for this exact purpose."

"Listen, I don't even know what the the catalyst is. The people who fucking gave it to us also raped and abused us. Why should I care about it?" Kyori sighed, glad Kiara was still snoring peacefully on her shoulder.

"They didn't tell you what it was?" Fanden raised his eyebrow. When Kyori shook her head, he sighed. "The catalyst was the idea to transform ordinary humans into weapons able to take down titans easily. It accelerates intelligence, the ability to learn, strength, speed, and a number of other characteristics. How many titans have you killed?"

"A few dozen." Kyori's brow furrowed. It made sense now why other people seemed to have a harder time keeping up with her and her sister.

"That's because of the catalyst. Granted no one is sure about the long term effects. You probably won't live long. The cells in your body probably won't be able to keep up with it for the span of a normal human's life." Fanden spread his hands, shrugging.

Kyori blinked several times, trying to absorb that information. They wouldn't have long lives. "How long do we have to live?" she asked, glaring at the man with pure hatred.

"I have no idea. It could be tomorrow. It could have been when you turned eighty. The catalyst accelerates healing, so it's working to keep you alive even as it kills you... but it won't matter in a fortnight when you are turned if you don't help us."

"Huh. Guess I won't ever find out then." Kyori shrugged a delicate shoulder. "Nothing you say or do is going to convince me."

"I have no doubt that. Hopefully, you'll end up devouring the people you are so desperately trying yo protect." Fanden stood up, brushing dirt off his pants.

"It goes without saying that you are a sick bastard, right?" Kyori spat at him. "Why not just get it over with?!"

"I'm giving you time to make peace with your demons," Fanden answered sarcastically as Kiara stirred against her sister. He walked out of the room, slamming the door just to piss off the little volcano inside. The sound of his footsteps could be heard storming away.

"You dickwad!" Kyori shouted as Kiara jerked awake.

"What just happened?" Kiara asked, looking around tensely.

"Its nothing, Kiara. Please, sleep." Kyori gently guided her down so her head was resting in her lap.

"It's too cold... Why did they take our cloaks and jackets?" Kiara curled up on her side, shivering.

"Probably to break us..." Kyori sighed.

"I keep dreaming about the same face," Kiara mumbled after a moment, trying to change the subject. She didn't want to think of either of them breaking.

"Really? What does it look like?" Kyori already knew what she would say, but she wanted to humor her.

"It's kind of pale. The person is scowling.. They have gray eyes? Or blue?" Kiara sighed, blushing. "I don't know... That's all that I remember."

"Is that really all?" Kyori raised an eyebrow. She didn't miss the blush.

"Um... Well, they keep kissing me." Kiara coughed awkwardly.

"Maybe they're your lover." Kyori kept the amusement out of her voice. She was still pissed at their captor, but Kiara's dream was amusing.

"Wouldn't you know that?" Kiara blinked up at her sister wearily.

"Not really. You seemed to be pussyfooting around each other. The day we were kidnapped though.. He was acting more like a lover than ever before." Kyori smirked slightly.

"What do you mean?" Kiara started smiling faintly. So, the person kissing her was a male. The new detail was exciting... As was the confirmation that he was real.

"He was acting... different. He kept kissing you when he thought no one was looking. He even seemed like he was smiling a few times." Kyori shrugged. "He never smiled either."

"I can't picture that face smiling." Kiara grinned, looking content for the first time in weeks.

"Yeah.. I'm pretty sure everyone was a little surprised that day too." Kyori ran her fingers over Kiara's scalp.

"Kyori... Why do I have amnesia? I want to remember him..." Kiara exhaled softly. Her head felt cold without her hair, but her sister's fingers were warm on her skin.

Kyori hesitated. "I.. Kiara... I sealed your memory. I'll unseal it all when we escape."

Kiara blinked, but somehow wasn't surprised. It was like she knew what had happened somewhere in the back of her mind. "This isn't the first time, is it?" she asked quietly.

Kyori shook her head, shifting so she was laying behind her sister. She slipped one hand under her head and let Kiara's head rest on her arm. "It's not.. but both times felt necessary to hide our secrets. No offense, Kiara, but you're a shitty liar and an even worse actor. Also, I figured if you didn't know anything, they would focus their efforts on me. I didn't want to see you tortured."

Kiara frowned and pulled Kyori's other arm around her waist. "I don't want to see you tortured either… It seems I have no choice, but to defer to your judgement."

"This time, you agreed to it and I haven't been tortured.. it was a precaution." Kyori flung her leg over sister as well, trying to warm her up. "The first time... That was an accident. I didn't know I could do it before."

"Did I ever get the memories back the first time?" Kiara asked curiously.

"Ah... One of them... This time... If you want them back, I'll give you them all... But there was a lot of bad shit, Kiara... Some of it was downright traumatic." Kyori sighed.

"I like to think that I'm strong enough to get through it." Kiara shrugged, yawning. "I mean… it's not like I am alone… speaking of, can you sing again?"

"I fail to see how that made you think of me singing." Kyori rolled her eyes, but nodded. She thought for a moment about a song. Usually, it was Kiara who sang between them because Kyori preferred working with her ocarina, but she didn't mind singing to her older sister… especially if it gave her some comfort in this cold dank cell.

" _Sleep on now. I heard that a knee makes a good pillow when you're down and do you like it when someone tickles your arm? Curls your locks of hair round and round? You're so tired. Let me straighten out your shirt as your chest rises up and down. I don't get it either, but someday we'll learn how the earth spins round and round._ " Kyori smiled slightly as Kiara snuggled closer against her. The other woman was clearly exhausted, but she seemed to enjoy the warmth and comfort her sister provided.

" _You need to fall. That's what people always say. You don't know anything at all… you haven't felt the pain. How low should I crawl? When should I take the final blow? When is it bad enough to earn the right to show? How hard should I fall before it's my turn to be heard? How much pain should I show on my face before you listen to a word? How bad should I hurt? How much is enough?_ " Kiara turned around and buried her face in Kyori's chest. " _You just jerked. I hope you're dreaming, but isn't drowning all we've earned? I won't close my eyes till you lay still, and I won't cry. I've been through nothing. I haven't witnessed a full stab. I need to experience something before I get laughed at._ "

Kiara blinked up at her sister, tilting her head tiredly. This song seemed sad, but she couldn't tell if Kyori was singing it because she related to it or if she just liked the song.

" _You need to fall. That's what people always say. You don't know anything at all… you haven't felt the pain. How low should I crawl? When should I take the final blow? When is it bad enough to earn the right to show? How hard should I fall before it's my turn to be heard? How much pain should I show on my face before you listen to a word? How low should I crawl? When should I take the final blow? When is it bad enough to earn the right to show? How bad should I hurt? How much is enough?_ " The song trailed off into a gentle hum.

Kiara turned in her sisters embrace and wrapped her arms around her. "I love you, Kyori," she mumbled.

"I love you," Kyori responded, smiling a little. So long as she had her twin, she could conquer the world. Standing up to the Marley government was nothing.

"You know.. about your song… I think you can show how you feel whenever. I don't think there's such a thing as worse when it comes to experience… like comparing someone who killed their family in self defense to a person who went hungry on the streets… there is no worse. Both situations suck. They're both bad subjectively.. if we compare them to see who is worse, we invalidate both people. I think both should be able to show their pain." Kiara yawned softly and tucked her head under Kyori's chin.

Kyori blinked, looking down at her sister's body before nodding once. "Fair point." She wouldn't tell her older sister that she had to be strong because she needed to protect Kiara. She couldn't afford to show weakness.

* * *

Neither twin was aware that a blonde little girl had crept up to the cell door for guard duty shortly after her superior had stormed off. She sat on the floor, listening to the two women inside talk and sing. She didn't like the plan she had to follow through with. There would be too much death… but she didn't have a choice. The child had to follow orders. She was a warrior. She dimly wished she could be like their captives, defiant and brave, but she also wanted to go home and she couldn't do that until after her mission was over.

* * *

Fanden came into their cell again for the last time a long while later. There were no windows in their cell, so neither twin could say for sure how long had passed, but it had to have been nearly two weeks since they had seen him last. They hadn't had food since the night he had tried to convince Kyori to join his cause again. Water had been scarce as well. It was only brought in by a child, most likely a girl, wearing a hooded cloak. Those interactions were always rushed and without a word being exchanged between the child and the twins. It made them wonder if she was even supposed to be giving them water.

"Are you going to cooperate? This is your last chance." Fanden's voice was resigned.

"Might as well bring us out behind the shed and get the firing squad," Kyori answered tonelessly.

"Or just inject us now." Kiara shrugged, smiling in pure defiance.

"I thought so." The man heaved a sigh and opened their cell. He stepped inside and quickly tied sacks over their heads in complicated knots that would be impossible to untie. The twins didn't offer much resistance, they felt too hungry and tired to fight after being starved for nearly a month.

"Listen up, my subordinates are going transform you in three days. Unfortunately, I have to go back to Marley, so I won't be there to see your… titans… if you untie your hoods, I gave the order to shoot you in the head. Behave until your execution."

Kyori growled, hearing the cell lock again. "Fuck you on so many levels."

"Funny, you sound like your brother." They heard Fanden laugh.

"Brother?" Kiara turned her head in Kyori's direction. She hadn't heard they had had a brother.

"He was four when he received the catalyst. Killian Saxon. Unfortunately, he died due to a bad reaction. That was a prototype of the injection you received. Clearly, the catalyst wasn't ready for human use at that point. He swore quite a bit when he was dying. It was a bit strange hearing all of that come out of a child my own age." His voice sounded amused.

"We didn't have a brother." Kyori snarled, pissed the man was trying to mess with their minds like this.

"Oh, you did. You were just born when he died. He wouldn't have betrayed us like you, but oh well." Kyori could hear the condescending tone in the man's voice.

She was certain that the man was lying. She wasn't sure if he was lying about Killian's existence, his death, or even if he would have really stuck with the plan… but either way, Kyori didn't trust this man at all. "Too bad he died then," she responded coldly, clenching her hands into fists.

"I guess so," Fanden snorted derisively and stormed out of the room. Dealing with either twin seemed to always give him a headache. It would be more difficult to complete their mission without the twins working on the inside, but he could work around it.

Kyori felt her twin shift closer to her. "We didn't have a brother, right?" she asked softly once the man's footsteps had faded down the hall.

"Not that I'm aware of. I think he was lying." Kyori slumped against the wall, feeling the strain on her body from arguing. She had no energy. Two weeks without food and barely any water had exhausted both twins.

"I don't know… I have a feeling that he was telling the truth about Killian to a certain extent." Kiara rubbed her injured wrists absently. She and Kyori were both getting infections from the chaffing of the metal shackles and trying to free themselves.

"Are you sure?" Kyori tensed, her head whipping around in the direction of her sister's voice.

"Yeah… well, it also felt like he was lying too. I don't know what to make of it. It's probably just in my head anyways." When Kyori didn't respond, Kiara spoke again. "We're going to die, aren't we?"

"Kiara, I'm not going to let you die. We'll figure this out." Kyori's voice cracked slightly. She swallowed what little saliva was in her mouth.

"It's okay, Kyori. Our integrity is still intact. We protected the people we love, right?" Kiara murmured gently, resting against her sister.

"Yes… as much as we could. We protected them by not aiding in their genocide, which is no doubt what they have planned. If we could just escape… if we could warn them…"

"We will die with integrity and love then. I'm okay with sacrificing my life to keep them safe."

"You don't even remember them," Kyori grumbled back.

"No, but I know that they must be worth it. Otherwise you wouldn't have sealed my memory and you wouldn't be so bent on defying that bastard." Kiara shrugged. "I also know that I love at least one person that we're trying to protect."

Kyori breathed out gently and wrapped her sister in her arms. "Yes… that is true."

"So, let's not regret this. It might be small… and if we can escape, we should.. but I want to meet death with my head held high." Kiara yawned, still picking dried blood off her wrists.

Kyori nodded after a minute, silently agreeing with her sister. "Let's focus on escaping when they bring us out to turn us. If we can just make it to the walls, we can be let in again… hopefully there's a doctor who will be able to take care of us."

"I'm sure there will be… and when we're better, you are explaining everything," Kiara replied cheerfully and forcefully.

* * *

Kiara shivered in the cold as she and her sister were led outside. They couldn't see where they were going through the sacks over their heads, but she felt small hands gently leading her along. The person was even shorter than she was. A child.

That made it harder to follow through with her plan, but it wouldn't stop her. Kiara clenched her jaw, steeling her nerves. She shifted her cuffed hands slightly. The metal that encircled her wrists were loose now after being starved for so long. It was only stuck on her thumb, but she couldn't work it off.

Taking a quick steadying breath, Kiara gripped her thumb in her hand and snapped her wrists forward. The pain was excruciating as her thumb broke, but Kiara only worked the cuff off her hand as fast as she could and kicked the person guiding her in the same breath.

"What?!" she heard another child yell and suddenly she was on her back.

Kiara barely had the strength left to fight the kid off, but she felt the knife in their hand press against her throat. Adrenaline flooded through her as she pushed the knife up, struggling to pry it out of the boy's hand. Instead the knife came down on her face.

She screamed as white hot pain flashed over her. The knife had cut through the sack over her left eyebrow and had skidded down her eye. She tried to push it away again, but the knife only came back down. It crossed the bridge of her nose and went down her right cheekbone to her ear. Gathering her strength from the adrenaline coursing through her, she threw the boy off her, taking his knife out of his hands. She was fairly certain that she broke the boy's wrist from loud snap she heard.

"We are supposed to turn them, not kill them," a cold female voice snapped. Maybe Kiara had had help throwing the boy off her.

"Marcel!" A tall male child called out. "They're struggling! He won't care if they die!"

"Those aren't our orders."

Kiara leapt to her feet, her hand covering her injured eye as she felt hot liquid cover her face. She quickly tore off the hood covering her good eye and saw her sister struggling as well against a blond boy… and a syringe already buried in her arm. "Kyori!" she screamed.

Kyori stopped struggling when she heard her sister's voice. She turned slightly to face her and wrenched the empty syringe out of her arm. "Run!"

Kiara hesitated and that was all it took. She felt a syringe being jammed into her arm and her strength failed her. It was over. At least they had gone out fighting.

"There. They both have been injected. Let's get out of here. I don't want to be there when they turn," the girl's voice spoke from right next to Kiara.

The other three seemed to agree and took off running.

Kiara hissed and tore the syringe out of her arm before crawling over to her sister. Kyori was lying in the snow, shivering. "I told you to run."

"Like I'm going to leave behind." Kiara snorted, kneeling beside her sister and cutting off her hood.

"Fuck! Kiara! Your face…" Kyori looked up at her horror struck. She reached up to wipe blood off her cheek, but it was only replaced with more.

"I'm fine… we are going to transform soon anyways." Kiara winced when she tried rolling her eyes. It was more painful than she thought it would be. Dimly, she wondered how her vision would be affected, but then she reminded herself that it didn't matter.

"How long do you think we have?" Kyori murmured, breaking her own thumb to remove a shackle.

Kiara winced at the sound and shrugged. "Probably not long. Maybe a few minutes. Injections are usually pretty quick, right?"

Kyori nodded, stripping out of the top half of her harness and her shirt. Her shirt was soiled and filthy, but the sleeves were clean enough to bandage Kiara's wound. "Pack snow against your eye," she muttered, not caring that treating the injury wouldn't matter soon. Kyori cut the sleeves off with the knife Kiara had stolen and quickly wrapped Kiara's face as well as she could with the first sleeve.

Kiara frowned, but complied, swallowing roughly as she packed the cold snow over the cloth covering her eye. Kyori wound her other sleeve around the first to keep the snow in place. "Don't… don't you think this is a little… redundant?" Kiara asked, shivering slightly.

"Shut up." Kyori frowned. "Eat some clean snow. We're dehydrated. It'll help."

Kiara sighed, watching her sister's long dirty hair fall around her face in snarls. After a moment, she started eating whatever snow looked the cleanest.

Kyori stood up and started searching for something beside a bush. When she came back ten minutes later, she looked disappointed. "The ground is too cold to get at any roots and without either of our weapons, hunting is pointless. I doubt I can catch anything with just a knife."

"Kyori.. we are going to turn soon," Kiara pointed out through her cold mouth.

Kyori shot her a glare before a look of confusion crossed over her features. "Shouldn't we have turned by now?"

Kiara blinked, glancing up at the darkening sky. "You're right… it's been a lot longer than I thought it would take.."

Kyori furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly. "It's possible we won't turn… granted I do feel sick to my stomach after that injection."

"I feel ill too. Like I have a stomach flu… but why wouldn't we turn?"

"It could be the catalyst… it might be counteracting the titan serum…" Kyori frowned, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Catalyst?" Kiara tilted her head. Fanden had mentioned that too, but she didn't understand what they meant by it.

"I'll explain if we survive this.. should we head back to Shinganshina now? If we don't turn, we need medical help immediately."

"We might as well. If we turn on the way there, then that will be that. If we don't turn at all, we need help… you're right." Kiara stood up with difficulty.

"We should head… northeast I think. I'm pretty sure we were brought west several miles…" Kyori frowned. "It's going to be a long hike… but we should reach the walls by tomorrow morning, provided we don't get eaten or turn."

"Here's to hoping," Kiara muttered, grimacing.

* * *

AN: I may have split this chapter in two. Like the next chapter may be from Levi's and Hange's point of view... or I may just continue with what Kiara and Kyori doing. Maybe. I'll decide later.

Fanden is devil in Danish.

Also, the songs Kyori sings are aLiez by Amalee and How Much by Meg and Dia. Credit goes to them obviously.


	13. Wish That You Were Here

AN: Not gonna lie, I'm a bit sketchy on this chapter. I've been dealing with a lot of problems these past couple of months, so please, forgive me if this isn't up to par with my usual standard of writing.

* * *

Chapter Text

 _"I never minded being on my own. Then, something in me broke and I wanted to go home to be where you are." -Florence + The Machine_

"You can't be serious." Kiara gave her sister a look of utter disbelief. They had come across a river and Kyori was striping out of her pants and boots.

"I don't give a fuck. I'm filthy. We haven't bathed in a month." Kyori shrugged. "I can't wait until we get to the walls."

"Aren't you just going to put those pants back on?" Kiara sighed, running her hand over the bristles covering her scalp.

Kyori eyed the soiled pants and underwear dubiously before shaking her head. The last several days, they had been too weak to make it to the latrine in the cell they had been held in.

"No. I've been naked in winter before. Besides, we're over halfway to the walls now. It won't be long. Are you joining me?"

Kiara sighed before nodding. "What the hell?" she muttered and stripped out of her clothes. She felt disgusting too.

Kyori was already in the icy cold river by the time Kiara got undressed. She quickly joined her sister. The frigid water was a shock to her system, but thankfully the river was shallow and sluggish.

The two women scrubbed themselves as quickly as they could, cleaning grime and waste off their thin bodies. Kyori scrubbed at her long hair for five minutes before she finally felt satisfied that she was as clean as she could be.

"I think we should stick to the river until we reach the wall. We'll have access to water at least," Kyori grumbled, slipping on her boots before frowning. She felt too exposed, but there was no way in hell she was putting on her dirty clothes again.

Kiara clearly felt the same way, but she threw on her shirt at least. It gave her some feeling of being covered. Kyori glanced at the filthy shirt. It was one of Isabel's. Kiara couldn't even remember Isabel, she thought with a pang of guilt.

"I think you're right. Let's stick to the river and head north." Kiara pursed her lips, readjusting the bandage on her eye.

Kyori hesitated, but nodded. She wished she had medical supplies. She couldn't even stitch Kiara's face like this, but the bleeding had stopped at least. She shivered slightly and stood up. They were only several hours from the wall. They could make it.

They linked hands and started walking again, stopping whenever they needed to drink water from the river. Both twins were sick to their stomachs. Kyori wasn't sure if it was because of the titan serum or because they were starving. It could have been illness even. She had no idea. They would be lucky if they even made it to the walls without passing out, but she would keep going until she couldn't anymore.

That time came sooner than either twin counted on. Kiara and Kyori were making their way toward the wall they saw looming in the distance when Kiara heard the sound of Kyori's body hitting the ground. She froze and slowly turned her head to see Kyori curled in a ball, panting harshly.

"Kyori?!" Kiara ran the few steps to her sister's side, checking the other woman over for injury.

Kyori blinked up at her dully, her face flushed. "I'm fine. Just need a minute," she breathed, biting her lower lip.

"You are not fine. You have a fever." Kiara glared at her younger sister.

Kyori opened her mouth to retort, but quickly rolled over and vomited instead. All that came out was water and acid. "Fuck," she cursed between heaving as her sister pulled her hair back.

"You can't go on like this." Kiara frowned, waiting for her sister to finish before helping her to the river so she could rinse her mouth out.

"I can make it," Kyori insisted, brushing her sister off as she managed to stand.

"No, Kyori, you really can't…" Kiara chewed on her lip before grabbing Kyori's hands and spinning around.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" Kyori demanded as Kiara bent down and swept Kyori's knees up.

Kiara smiled back at her sister from over her shoulder. "I'm carrying you. It's the only logical option at this point."

Kyori blinked twice before sighing and settling down in the impromptu piggy back ride. "Thank you."

Kiara only hummed in response and started walking again. It took more effort with her sister on her back, but she didn't mind. Leaving Kyori behind wasn't an option and the younger twin could hardly manage to stay on her feet. She just had to make it to Shinganshina- an eight hour walk. She could do this.

* * *

By the time Kiara had stumbled upon to the outer gate of Shinganshina, Kyori had long since passed out. Thankfully, there were no titans around as she slammed her fist against the gate.

"Help! Let us in!" she screamed, looking up where she somehow knew there would be people manning the wall even though she couldn't see them.

The people must have already seen them coming because it only took a handful of seconds for them to raise the gate enough to let them in. Kiara stumbled inside, hearing a bell toll.

"Who are you?" a guard asked, gaping at the two women.

"Kiara and this is my twin, Kyori. We were kidnapped. Fanden is planning an attack with four kids. You have to prepare for it," Kiara answered quickly, completely unaware of how little sense she was making. Her mind was sluggish and she just wanted to sleep.

The guards glanced at each other before they looked over the two women. They were wearing military boots and the one being carried had distinct harness markings on her legs.

"Are you scouts?" a tall blond man asked in surprise.

"I… don't know. I can't remember," Kiara frowned, trying to focus on the people in front of her.

"All the scouts are out on expedition," a woman said just as Kiara swayed to the side.

The man caught both women and picked them up, one in each arm. It was startling how light they were. "Go warn Grisha that I'm bringing two malnourished women to his clinic."

The woman nodded and quickly ran off as the man adjusted his hold on the two women who were no bigger than children. "Before you pass out, tell me a few things," the man said as Kiara's arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Alright, but I don't remember much before we were kidnapped," Kiara warned wearily.

"Do you know how long ago that was?"

"I think... it was around a month ago."

"Do you know who kidnapped you?"

"I don't know his name. I called him Fanden. It means devil." Kiara shrugged. "He starved us. He wanted our help. I don't know for what… I think he was going to attack us."

"Attack? There's not much one man can do to us… but no one can survive out there with the titans for long." The man soothed, walking a little quicker. He heard the notes of anxiety in Kiara's tone.

Kiara tilted her head slightly. That was true… the walls were ample protection from titans. One man and some kids wouldn't be able to attack them. She relaxed. "Can I sleep now? I'm so tired."

"I don't see the harm in it. We'll be at the clinic soon. Dr. Jäger will take care of you and get you some clothes."

Kiara nodded slowly, resting her cheek against the man's shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Hannes."

* * *

When Kiara opened her eyes next, she was laying in a bed. She slowly sat up and looked around. The room she was in had several beds, but only one other was occupied.

She blinked once, realizing it was her sister, and immediately crawled out of bed. She stumbled to the bed next to hers, checking her twin over. Kyori was sleeping fitfully, but she was wearing a night gown. Someone had dressed them.

Kiara sighed and crawled into the bed next to Kyori, curling around her, before promptly falling back asleep.

* * *

"Dad, what happened to her face?"

"I'm not sure yet. It appears to be wounds from a blade."

"Is that what happened to her eye?"

"Probably. Now watch how I stitch up her wounds. You might be taking over for me in the future, so this is very important."

Kiara made a small whining noise as she felt a needle pierce the skin above her eyebrow. It was followed by a quick tug.

"She's waking up. Eren, grab that syringe and that vile." There was a pause and some rustling. "Good."

Several pokes later, Kiara found her face was uncomfortably numb. All she felt was short tugging movements for a long while as her skin was sewn together.

"Mikasa, can you grab some healing ointment and the bandages? We need to address their wrists and thumbs next."

There was no response apart from a cupboard opening and closing. There was a rustling and the sound of metal chains moving against each other.

"How are we going to get the manacles off of them?"

"We are going to ask Armin's mother to pick the locks when she's done with her shift."

Kiara frowned faintly as her left eye was forced open. It hurt more than she thought it would. She looked up at the blurry figure above her as it leaned closer. Her eye watered.

"Might need glasses… hopefully the eye heals well enough to prevent it. Eren, I want you to place the next few stitches and then I want you to give it a go, Mikasa."

Kiara squeezed her eye closed as soon as the man released it, refusing to let a whimper pass her lips.

"That sounds so gross."

"It's good practice. Whether you want to be a doctor or join the military or farm... you will need to know medicine at some point."

Someone sighed audibly and then smaller fingers were on Kiara's cheek. The tugging sensation was back, albeit clumsier, accompanied by murmured instructions. Kiara kept her eyes closed as her face was stitched together. Soon, another pair of small hands replaced the first, making more precise tugs.

"Very good. Now we need to add salve and bandage this one's wrists. You've completed bandaging the other patient's wrists, correct? Good. Remember to be careful with her thumb. It's been broken or dislocated. I'm going to finish stitching her cheek and nose."

Kiara frowned as the manacle was slid up her arm and careful small fingers started cleaning the infected skin encircling her wrist. After a long while of cleaning that left her wrist sore and raw, a soothing ointment covered the abused flesh. Her wrist was bandaged next before the same process started being repeated on her other wrist.

A shrill shriek filled the air suddenly, startling Kiara before she realized that her screaming. One of the smaller hands had twisted her hand while cleaning her wrist. Blinding pain shot through her from her thumb. Her hand was quickly set down again.

"Damn. Okay, I'll take care of her thumb and her left wrist as soon as I'm done with these last few stitches. Did you check our other patient over?"

"Yes. Her only outward injury is her wrists. Some bruising on her arms and abdomen, but nothing is broken apart from her right thumb."

"That's what I thought. Eren, go ask your mother to prepare some easy to digest food for our patients. They seem to be waking up."

"Yeah, okay."

"Mikasa, I'm going to ask you to hold down the patients while I set and splint their thumbs."

"Alright."

The tugging sensation stopped on the bridge of her nose. Then, she felt something wet running over her face.

"I'm going to need to bandage her eyes until her left eye heals."

"Why both?"

"She could develop a lazy eye if I only bandage the damaged eye. It should only be for two months at most, but she'll be blind for that time. Her eye was scratched pretty badly."

Kiara let her head be lifted, too exhausted to fight it. She didn't care if her eyesight was gone. She was being taken care of by a doctor. It was more than she could have hoped for when she was being held captive. A cloth was wound around her head, covering her eyes and stitches.

"Are they going to be okay?"

"They should be fine. The worst of it is actually internal. They're both severely dehydrated and starved. They need food, water, and rest."

"And a bath."

"From what Hannes told me, this patient said they were held captive for a month, Mikasa. Carla will bathe them after we get them to eat. Will you help her?"

"Yes."

Kiara felt her head being lowered onto the pillow. She was grateful these people were so thoroughly taking care of them. The man dressing her wounds seemed to be taking their dignity into account as well by having females bathe them. She wanted to thank him, but her tongue wouldn't work.

"Alright. I'm sure you're awake. Kiara, right?"

Kiara managed a small nod.

"I'm going to look at your thumb now. It's going to hurt. Can you bear with me?"

"Yes," she mumbled, finding her voice again.

A pair of large hands lifted her injured hand. Kiara clenched her teeth against the flare of pain as the man inspected her thumb carefully. After what seemed like an eternity, her hand was placed on the bed beside her again.

"Your thumb is broken, but it's not too bad. It's going to be painful to fix and I'll need to immobilize it for a month, but you'll be fine. First, I'm going to clean and bandage this wrist."

Kiara nodded again, clenching her good hand as her wrist was gently cleaned. The man was thorough, cleaning her wrist with sure hands. Salve was applied soon after, followed by bandaging. Once her wrist was taken care of, the man moved away.

"I'm going to give you a cloth to bite. Unfortunately, all the pain killers I can offer you should be taken with food, so we'll need to wait for my wife to administer them."

"That's... fine… my sister?" Kiara opened her mouth to allow the rolled cloth in.

"Kyori didn't suffer as many injuries. Just her wrists, her thumb, and some bruising. I'm going to fix her up as soon as I'm finished with your thumb. My children already took care of her wrists. I just need to set her thumb as well."

Kiara gave a short nod. She understood. Thankfully, the man seemed to know what he was doing. Two small hands grabbed her shoulder and forearm, pinning her arm down with a strength that shouldn't be possible for someone so small. It only took a moment for the doctor to set her thumb and splint it. Kiara screamed from the pain, her body arching off the bed, but it was over quickly. All that was left was a dull ache.

"There… it's all over. You're going to be fine now."

The man ran his hand soothingly over her scalp and gently removed the cloth from her mouth. Kiara whined softly and bit her lip.

"It'll be okay. My wife will be here soon. I'm going to take care of your sister. My daughter will be right next to you. Her name is Mikasa."

Kiara nodded as she felt a small weight sink down on the bed beside her. The sound of a door opening came from her right as a cold wet cloth started dabbing at her head.

"Good. Eren, I need you to hold down Kyori's arm while I examine her thumb and treat it."

"Isn't she sleeping?"

"I doubt she will be for long. I'm surprised she didn't wake up from Kiara's scream… they must be exhausted. How long will your mother be?"

"She said it would only take her another half hour. She's making soup."

The cold cloth kept dabbing at Kiara's forehead. She turned her head toward the gentle touch.

"I'm sorry it's cold. You have a fever or I would use warmer water," a soft voice murmured.

Kiara gave a small nod. The cold didn't bother her, but she found herself wishing she could see. She wanted to thank these people properly. The sound of Kyori screaming and cursing had Kiara jolting upright.

"Kyori?!" She knew that Kyori had screamed from having her thumb set and splinted, but she couldn't stop the worry from leaking into her tone.

"I'm fine," Kyori's voice responded after a moment, sounding ragged and exhausted.

Kiara relaxed and let small hands push her back down on the bed. She couldn't even open her eyes against the cloth covering them, but she had a feeling Kyori was telling the truth. Just like she had a feeling she could trust the people taking care of them.

"You're a doctor, right?" Kyori was speaking to the man treating them now.

"Yes. You're in Shinganshina. My name is Dr. Jäger. These are my children. Eren and Mikasa."

"That's fine, but I need to speak to someone in the military."

"If you're referring to the subject of your kidnapping and the threat your captor made to attack us, Kiara told a member of the Garrison everything already. It's okay to relax."

"How can we relax when those assholes are lurking outside?" Kyori's voice demanded.

"I ask you to not use such language around the kids. They're only ten… listen to me, we aren't taking your claim lightly. The matter will be thoroughly investigated. In fact, Dot Pixis wants to speak with you, but only after you are both well again."

"What if they attack before then?!"

"It's one man and some children, yes? They can't do much right now. Just breathe. Everything will be okay. Certainly, it can wait until after you have regained your strength."

Kyori snorted, but seemed to give up on that conversation. "We don't have any money for medical expenses."

"Don't worry about that right now. We'll figure something out. You are part of the military, right?"

"Yes, but we've probably been written off as dead or missing. We were stuck there for a month according to our captor… what month is it?"

"It's the seventeenth of March. The year is 845."

"He must have lied then. We were kidnapped on the thirtieth of January…. And we only traveled a night to get here… I think…"

"It was one night," Kiara confirmed, sighing softly.

"One and a half months. No wonder your bodies are so weak. You weren't fed properly were you?"

"No. They didn't give us water all that often either."

"I'll contact Commander Keith Shadis to let him know you're alive. Then, when you're well again, you can travel to the Survey Corps headquarters."

"How did you know we're scouts?"

"Well, you were wearing military boots, came in from the outside the walls, and you bear harness marks… I wasn't sure about Kiara, but now I am."

"Fair enough… how long until we're healed?"

"Both of you are sporting a broken thumb…. Kiara's eye has been scratched as well. I would say two months. The starvation and dehydration will take less time to treat."

"Fine, but I want to see this Pixis person soon."

"As soon as you are both recovered from being dehydrated. Give it about a week or two."

Kiara heard her sister sigh before a younger voice spoke up.

"Wait… I remember you. I saw you leaving the wall last year. You made eye contact with me."

"I'm sorry? I don't remember you."

"You were riding on a horse with another girl."

There was a short silence before Kyori spoke again. "You saw Kiara. We're identical twins. She rode with our older sister that day."

Kiara snapped her head around, looking in the direction of Kyori's voice. "We have a sister?"

The silence that filled the room was almost tangible. Kiara could feel the weight of it pressing down on her.

"Isn't that something you would remember?"

The voice came from the girl sitting beside Kiara. Kiara slowly shook her head. She desperately wished she could see Kyori's face. "Not with amnesia apparently. I don't remember anything from before I was kidnapped."

"She wasn't related to us by blood. She and her fiancé were like our siblings. Kiara, let's not talk about this right now."

"You're using past tense…" Kiara frowned, lifting a hand to pull at her bandages. A larger hand stopped her.

"You need to leave that on."

Kiara was just about to snap that she needed to find out what had happened to her memories, when the door opened again.

"I brought soup and some water," a woman announced. Kiara could only assume it was Carla.

"Thank you, dear. Eren, why didn't you stay with your mother and help her carry everything?"

"She told me to go on ahead."

Kiara felt someone sit beside her. She turned her head in the direction, resisting the urge to tug off the cloth covering her eyes.

"It's alright. I'm just going to help you eat and drink." The woman said gently. "How old are you?"

Kiara frowned as hands guided her into a sitting position. She felt something brush against her back as she was held up. Pillows, she realized as the hands guided her to lean against them.

"I'm… I think I'm eighteen?" she answered unsure.

"We are," Kyori's voice confirmed.

"May I ask your names?" the woman asked pleasantly. "I'm Carla. Wife of Dr. Jäger and mother to the two children here."

Kiara felt something being pressed against her lips. She parted them and found cold water filling her mouth. She tried to drink it down greedily, but Carla moved the glass away quickly.

"Careful. If you drink too quickly, you'll throw up."

"I'm sorry. I'm Kiara." Kiara raised her good hand to wipe at her mouth.

"It's alright. Just slow down a bit. I'm going to feed you some soup. Can you open your mouth?"

Kiara nodded and parted her lips. A moment later, she felt a spoon slip inside her mouth. She swallowed the warm liquid and sighed softly. "This is good."

"It's potato soup. I also have some apples here. They're mashed into a sauce. They should be easy on your stomach."

"Thank you." Kiara accepted another spoonful of soup gratefully.

After a few bites, the doctor gave them medicine to bring down their infections and help with the pain.

The woman continued to feed Kiara until she was full- something that happened too quickly for Carla's liking. She only managed to eat a quarter of the food prepared. Kyori ate all of her food very slowly. Soon enough, Carla was kicking her husband and son out of the room so she could bathe the two patients.

"I can bathe myself," Kyori said immediately, "Please, take care of my sister right now."

"Alright. I'll get you some supplies. Mikasa, if you don't mind, help Kiara strip out of her gown and get started bathing her."

"Alright."

Kiara felt small hands guiding her to stand. She was glad the child was being mindful of her blindness, carefully positioning her and guiding her. Soon, she was undressed and a warm wet cloth was scrubbing over her skin methodically. She distantly heard the sounds of Kyori starting to bathe as well.

Carla's gentle hands washed the short bristles on the top of her head, humming a soft tune. Kiara slowly found herself relaxing, not even realizing how tense she had been. Once her scalp was clean, Carla unwound the bandages from her face with a quiet reminder that keeping her eyes closed would be best right now.

"Whoever hurt you, really did a number on your face," Carla sighed softly. She cleaned the stitches and the area surrounding them of blood and antiseptic. "They even managed to chip your ear."

"Is she going to be okay?" Kyori interrupted.

"She'll be fine. My husband knows what he's doing. She might have some pretty terrible scars though. Mikasa?"

"Yes?"

"Can you wash Kyori's hair for me? I can finish with Kiara here."

Kiara felt her ears being cleaned next before the cloth moved down to her neck and shoulders.

"You have on pretty jewelry."

"Do I?" Kiara frowned, raising her good hand to her neck where she felt a chain brushing against her skin. Her fingers traced the ring hanging off the necklace delicately.

"Yes. I love the earring. Such a pretty green shade."

"Thank you… I have a feeling… that they mean a lot to me." Kiara reached up and touched the earring next, fingers playing with the jeweled stud.

"Family heirlooms maybe?" Carla had a smile in her voice.

"I don't think so." Kiara frowned, letting her hands fall to her sides.

"Maybe they were gifts from a lover?"

"Kyori has the same earring," Mikasa murmured.

"That's because they weren't gifts. They're memorial tokens for our siblings," Kyori groused, sounding like that was the last topic she wanted to bring up.

Carla's hands stilled on Kiara's right arm for a moment. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"What happened?" Kiara demanded, wishing she could glare at her sister.

"They're dead, Kiara. The earrings belonged to Farlan and your necklace belonged to Isabel," Kyori growled, feeling guilt gnaw at her gut.

Carla began washing Kiara again. "That sounds terrible… I'm sorry that you lost them."

Kiara swallowed harshly. Those names sounded so familiar, yet she couldn't even bring up faces to match the names Kyori had given her. "So am I."

"Our loved ones never truly leave us. I'm sure you'll meet again." Carla rubbed her scalp soothingly before working on cleaning Kiara again.

"I hope so," both twins muttered in unison.

* * *

Nearly two weeks later, Kiara and Kyori were both slowly gaining weight back and could hold down a proper meal. Most of their time was spent sleeping as their bodies tried to recover their strength. It was shortly after that, that Kiara felt a weight joining her on her bed one night.

"Hello," a familar young boy's voice murmured.

"Eren?" Kiara whispered back, unsure of why they were keeping quiet.

"Yeah… I was thinking… Will you go for a walk with me?"

"What time is it?" Kiara sat up, tilting her head.

"It… It's midnight," Eren sounded chagrined.

Kiara frowned slightly, about to decline the offer, but instead found herself shrugging.

"Sure. I could go for a walk… but you'll have to be my eyes."

"I promise I won't let you fall or walk into anything," he said eagerly.

Kiara barely stopped herself from laughing. For a kid, Eren sounded so determined. "Alright, lead the way," she mumbled, standing up carefully. Eren helped her put on soft shoes to protect her feet.

A small hand grasped hers and gently started guiding her through the room. She smiled faintly, giving her trust over to the young child completely. They didn't talk as they walked outside. Kiara was completely certain that neither of them were supposed to be out this late, but Eren seemed to have a purpose in their little adventure.

Finally, they stopped and Eren helped her sit down on a stone. "Where are we?" Kiara asked curiously.

"Near a place where I collected wood with Mikasa earlier," Eren answered, sitting beside her. "I figured we wouldn't be disturbed here so late."

"So, you want privacy?" Kiara tilted her head in the direction of Eren's voice. "Why?"

"Well… I've been thinking for a while now… I want to join the scouts!"

"Okay, why does that warrant such secrecy?" Kiara frowned faintly.

"Are you kidding me? My parents would have a fit if they knew!"

Kiara paused for a moment before reaching out. She found Eren's shoulder and patted it gently. "Why do you want to join us? I mean, it's dangerous. You've seen what happened to Kyori and me."

"It's better than living as livestock!" Eren said hotly.

"Yes, I can see where you're coming from," Kiara said after a moment of silence. "So, you wanted to talk to me about the Survey Corps?"

"You're… you're the only scout I know."

"There is Kyori?" Kiara pointed out, smiling faintly.

"She's… kinda scary," came the mumbled response.

"I agree there. Apparently, I'm the older twin and she scares me too." Kiara smiled brightly. "However… You do know that I can't remember most of my life, right?"

There was a moment of silence before Eren sighed. "Yeah… I was just hoping you could tell me what the outside world is like."

"The outside world… from what I saw and remember, it's beautiful. It's definitely worth fighting for. There's no walls… Just the endless sky and trees and rivers… It was covered in snow though. I get the feeling that during summer the land is green and pretty. We just need to kill off the titans and it can be ours again." Kiara grinned. "So long as we keep fighting, that day will come eventually."

"How can you be so sure?" Eren asked, sounding doubtful. He leaned against Kiara and the teen wrapped her good arm around him.

"Because… as long as we are fighting… even if we're dying, there is still hope. Hope is a very special thing. It's like the sun. Even though it sets each night, it still comes back in the morning. Hope may seem like it's lost sometimes, but it will always come back. Sure, titans are terrifying and deadly, but so are we. We can kill them. We can fight back… and, eventually, we will win."

"I said something similar to Mikasa once," Eren murmured. "The only way to win is to fight. If you don't fight, you'll die… but if you do fight there's a chance of survival."

"You were right. So, that's what we do. We fight." Kiara hugged the boy next to her.

"I want to see the world someday… do you think that will happen?"

"If you want it badly enough, I don't see why not." Kiara smiled.

After that, the pair lapsed into silence for a while. Eventually, Eren helped her back to the clinic and thanked her for the talk.

Every time Eren thought he could get away with it after that, he smuggled Kiara out and helped her walk around outside, talking animatedly about his dreams to see the outside world and join the scouts just like her.

* * *

The next several weeks were the longest of Kiara's life. She spent every day in darkness. Kyori helped her by trying to describe what was going on around them, but it did little to take her mind off a growing question. When would she get her memories back?

The highlight throughout those weeks were Eren, Mikasa, and their friend Armin. They often came to visit the twins to talk about the Survey Corps and the outside world.

The odd thing was that no one ever came to look for them after Dr. Jäger had sent out his letter to Commander Shadis. There was no return letter.

Kyori started to work off their medical expenses as soon as she was allowed to. She helped Dr. Jäger around the office and ran errands for him. Kiara, on the other hand, was stuck in bed until her eye healed.

Kiara didn't mind the constant darkness or being confined indoors most of the time. It offered her the opportunity to meditate and try unlocking her memories. Kyori was refusing to help until they were safely back at the Survey Corps headquarters.

She did manage to achieve brief flashes of things she couldn't recall experiencing. The smell of tea. A calm low voice speaking jumbled up words. A woman's laughter. The sound of instruments. The feeling of someone playing with her hair.

It wasn't much, but it gave her hope.

* * *

Exactly eight weeks after Kiara and Kyori had made it back to Shinganshina, Dr. Jäger came to check on Kiara like he did every day in the morning.

"Kiara, how are you feeling?"

"Better than yesterday," she answered, a smile in her voice. She gave him the same answer every time he asked.

"I would think so. Your thumb and eye should be healed. We can take off the splint and bandages."

Kiara froze where she was standing by an open window. "Thank the stars," she breathed, feeling her way back to her bed.

Dr. Jäger helped her the last few feet. "Do you want me to remove the bandages off your thumb first or your eyes?"

Kiara frowned faintly before shrugging. "My thumb."

"Alright."

She felt his hands on hers, carefully undoing the splint he had made. Once he was done, she slowly clenched her hand. "It feels... stiff."

"You just have to get used to using it again. I'm going to remove the bandage from your eyes now."

Kiara nodded. She was used to this dressing being changed frequently. She inclined her head to give the doctor access to the back where it was tied off. Excitement started to thrum through her. She couldn't wait to see again.

Once the bandage was removed, Dr. Jäger gently opened her left eye, looking it over. "Can you see properly?"

Kiara opened her other eye and looked around. Everything was slightly blurry, but was clearing with every blink of her eyes. "Yes. I can see just fine... it's bright though."

"That's normal. Your eyes will adjust… unfortunately, there's a bit of scarring… part of your iris is light blue. I'm surprised you can see." He retrieved a small hand mirror from his pocket and handed to his patient.

Kiara accepted the mirror and looked at her reflection. There was a jagged slightly raised pink scar running down her right cheek and a second through her left eyebrow. She looked closer at her left eye. The outer edge of her iris was a milky blue, but it didn't quite reach her pupil. The effect was a bit startling. "That's never going to go away?"

"No, but it doesn't affect your vision, so I wouldn't be too worried. In fact, you should be blind with how bad that cut was. You are lucky."

Kiara frowned, her fingers settling under her eye as she tried to get used to her appearance. It was strange. The woman in the mirror didn't look like her mental image of herself. Her mental image had looked like Kyori, only with shoulder length hair. The woman in the mirror had short red hair, maybe an inch long, but it was the scarring and the eye made it seem all the stranger.

"Thank you for all your help, doctor. I'm sure without you, Kyori and I would probably be dead." Kiara finally said, handing the mirror back to him.

"I only did my job. I'm glad that you were both able to heal though. I was worried when Hannes came here with you both sleeping in his arms." Dr. Jäger smiled. "You made a great recovery. Kyori has already paid off your debt, so you are free to go back to the Survey Corps."

"I can't wait to get there. Maybe I'll be able to regain my memories." Kiara grinned, standing up eagerly.

"I hope so. There are some clothes on the bedside table. They should fit you. Your sister tried them on first." Dr. Jäger gestured at the clothes neatly folded on the table. "I'll go tell Kyori how everything went."

"Alright. Thank you again." Kiara smiled and waited for the man to leave before examining her clothes. The pants were navy blue. She threw them and the underwear on. The shirt… was the same white button up she had been wearing before freshly washed and mended. For some reason, she was glad it had been salvaged. She was just finishing fastening the buttons when the door burst open.

"Kiara?" Kyori rushed over to her and grabbed her face. "Fuck… your eye… Does it hurt anywhere? You're okay now right?"

Kiara blinked once before sighing. "I'm fine. I just need to put on my boots and socks and I'll be good to go."

"Thank the stars for that…" Kyori hugged her tightly. "I was so worried you would be blind in that eye."

"I'm not. I can see just fine. Though, I am in danger of suffocating if you don't let go," she said mildly.

Kyori rolled her eyes, but let go of her older sister. "Hurry up then. It's going to be noon soon. It's going to be a couple days of walking to get to headquarters."

"No horse?" Kiara sat on her bed and started pulling on her socks and boots.

"No. I couldn't afford one, but it's fine. I'm sure you want to stretch your legs anyways… I would suggest running, but Dr. Jäger said to take it easy."

Kiara hummed in agreement and stood, running her fingers through her short hair. "Let's go then. I want to say goodbye to Dr. Jäger and his family though."

"Of course, the kids are out collecting firewood, we'll see them on the way to headquarters. Dr. Jäger and Carla are in his office though." Kyori linked their fingers together, leading Kiara outside of the room to an office-like area. Dr. Jäger and a woman who Kiara assumed was Carla were inside talking. They looked at the twins together when they entered.

"Kiara!" Carla smiled, walking up to her and placing her hands on Kiara's arms. "It's so good to see your face. You're just as pretty as your sister."

Kiara bit her lip, but nodded. She knew she wasn't all that pretty now with two ugly scars marring her face, but she didn't mind the lie too much. "Thank you. It's great to finally be able to see you. Thank you for taking care of us."

"It was nothing… but do you have to go? The Survey Corps is dangerous." Carla's eyes darkened slightly.

Kiara glanced at her sister before smiling gently. "It is dangerous, I agree, but I want to fight back against the titans. If we can kill them all, then we won't have to hide behind walls. Our children won't have to grow up like this. I think that sounds rather lovely."

"If you go back you might not live to have children," Carla muttered.

Kiara blinked once before hugging the other woman. "You're right, but that's better than not fighting. Besides… the one I love is there. He probably thinks I'm dead or might not care anymore, but he's there. I want to go back to him and fight by his side."

"It's the same for me." Kyori sighed. "I want to keep someone safe too. She's crazy and reckless and annoying, but I want to make sure she's safe and taking care of herself. Knowing her, she'd let herself be eaten if it was for science." Kyori snorted.

Carla sighed and pulled the other girl into the hug. "Just be safe. I don't want to hear about either of you dying."

"I'm in no hurry to die." Kiara laughed softly. "Don't worry. We'll be fine. I hope you both stay safe as well."

"Honey, let the girls go. They have a long walk ahead of them." Dr. Jäger put a comforting hand on Carla's shoulder.

"We'll come back and visit." Kiara and Kyori pried themselves out of Carla's arms. "Take care."

"You too."

Kiara waved as Kyori pulled her out of the clinic. As soon as they were outside, Kiara shielded her eyes. "Oh! Why is it so bright?" she whined.

"Because you had your eyes bandaged for two months. You'll adjust." Kyori tugged on her hand again, leading her down the road toward the inner gate.

Kiara sighed, but just let her sister drag her through Shinganshina. It was so bright, she could barely see anyways.

They reached the inner gate and Kiara smiled brightly at the group of garrison soldiers were playing a game and drinking. She recognized one immediately.

"Hello."

Hannes looked up and grinned slightly. "Hey, it's good to see you out and about."

"It's thanks to you that we made it to Dr. Jäger." Kiara saluted him. "We are on our way back to the Survey Corps now."

"I only did what was right." Hannes shrugged, drinking from a flask.

Kiara wrinkled her nose in distaste, but only nodded her head. "I heard you carried us both to the clinic. I'm grateful."

"Kiara, let's go." Kyori rolled her eyes impatiently. She was eager to get back home.

Kiara shot her a look that said Kyori was being rude, but only waved at Hannes. She followed her sister through the gate, looking around.

She knew she must have been here before… but none of it was familiar to the eighteen-year-old. The buildings, landscape, and people were all new to her.

"Kyori?"

"What?" Kyori glanced at Kiara over her shoulder as they stepped onto a grassy plain.

"I want my memories back today. This… it's hard to not remember things that I know I should remember." Kiara squeezed her hand, but before she could say anything else, a smaller body was colliding with hers. Kiara's hands came up to steady the child.

"Kiara! You don't have the bandage on anymore! Can you see finally?" the excitable child asked.

"Eren?" Kiara frowned faintly. His voice sounded so familiar. She glanced down at the mop of brown hair as he looked up at her. His blue green eyes were so familiar that it startled her. "Ah... yes. I can see just fine."

"But… your eye is…" he frowned, looking at the spot where her eye had scarred.

"Its just a scar. I can still see. It looks weird, huh?" Kiara subconsciously covered her eye for a second.

"No! I think it makes you look stronger!" Eren quickly protested as a girl with long black hair approached them.

Kiara hesitated, but gave the child a gentle smile. "Thank you. That makes me feel a little better. Are you Mikasa then?" she asked the little girl.

The girl nodded and grabbed Eren's arm. "Eren, we're supposed to be collecting firewood."

"In a minute. Kiara and Kyori are leaving." Eren frowned.

"Its not like you won't see us again," Kyori grumbled, but didn't seem all that annoyed by it.

"You're still planning on joining the scouts?"

"Of course I am!" Eren huffed and crossed his arms.

Kiara watched him for a short while before nodding once. It wasn't like this was news to her. "Eren, I'm not going to ask you to change your mind. If your heart is telling you to join the Survey Corps, then you should. It's telling you that for a reason. I do want to tell you though that it isn't fun… it's dangerous. I don't want to see you die when you join. Be careful. Stay alive…. and train hard."

Eren blinked before nodding his head. "Yeah… I'll try to do that. I don't intend on dying anyways."

Kiara grinned and ruffled his dark brown hair. "Then, I'll see you when you join."

"And whenever we leave on an expedition before then. I'm sure you'll make yourself known," Kyori added, inspecting her nails.

Kiara nudged her sister and rolled her eyes. "Which we will be glad for. We're fond of both of you."

Eren grinned as Mikasa sighed, nudging her brother. "The wood isn't going to collect itself."

"Yeah, I know," Eren grumbled back, hiding a yawn.

"We'll see you soon." Kiara smiled and hugged both of the children before they left.

"You should have tried to dissuade him," Kyori muttered, taking her sister by the hand as they started walking again.

"I couldn't though. He deserves the chance to live his dreams. Yeah, it'll be dangerous, but we can look out for him. Besides… I don't think any amount of persuasion is going to change his mind." Kiara shrugged.

Kyori glanced over her shoulder where she could see Eren and Mikasa in the distance. "Yeah, you're probably right…"

"Come on… Let's go home, Kyori. I want to find our loved ones again." Kiara grinned.

"Oh, sure… now, you're in a hurry." Kyori snorted, rolling her eyes.

* * *

It was nearing sunset when it happened. They heard a sound like thunder coming from behind them. Kiara and Kyori glanced at each before looking behind them. Wall Maria was off in the distance. While they couldn't see much, Kiara _knew_ something was wrong.

"Kiara!" Kyori screamed as the older twin started running back the way they came. Cursing, Kyori chased after her, grabbing her by the arm.

"Something is wrong, Kyori! We have to go help!" Kiara rounded on her sister, trying to jerk her arm out of her grasp.

"And how do you expect to help?! We have no weapons! I don't even have my 3DMG!"

"But we have to do something!" Kiara wrenched her arm out of Kyori's grasp and started running again.

"Kiara, we are hours away from Wall Maria! By the time we arrive it will be too late!" Kyori snapped, running after her again.

"We can still try! We both know only a titan could have made such a loud noise! What if they're inside Shinganshina?!"

Kyori felt her stomach plummet. It was a terrifying thought, but Kiara seemed so sure that something was wrong that she had to trust Kiara's gut feeling. "Fuck! How are we supposed to help them?! We have nothing! All of our equipment that wasn't lost when we were kidnapped is back at headquarters!"

"I don't know! Maybe the garrison has spares?!" Kiara shouted back, glad that they had mostly walked on their way from Shinganshina. They hadn't put much distance between them and the wall. They were only halfway between Wall Rose and Wall Maria.

They heard another crash and Kyori's eyes narrowed as she searched for the source ahead. When her indigo eyes landed on a cloud of smoke in the distance, she swallowed. There was a hole in the wall and the humanoid figures coming through it were too big to be humans. "Shit! Kiara, there's nothing we can do! We need to evacuate everyone we can to Wall Rose!"

"What?!" Kiara gaped at her sister as Kyori caught hold of her again.

"The titans! They're in Wall Maria!" Kyori pointed ahead at the titans pouring through the gap in Wall Maria.

Kiara gaped at the sight, struggling in her sister's arms. "But all of those people…Dr. Jäger and his family…"

"The best we can do now is to get the people who are living out here to safety!" Kyori growled, dragging her sister towards the nearest village almost desperately.

Kiara's feet finally started to cooperate with her twin's pulling. Kyori was right. Without weapons, they were just a liability. So they would help where they could and start evacuating people to Wall Rose.

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, I love feedback.


	14. Note from the Author

Hey everyone. I know I haven't updated in awhile. Things have gotten more than a little crazy in my personal life. The good news is that my S.O. and I found a new apartment that is a dream come true. So after we move in and are settled (probably around mid August if not sooner) I'll be updating again.

My question to you guys is what do you want to see in the oncoming chapters? Do you want to see how Levi and Hange are handling the disappearance of the twins? Do you want to see past events that I didn't get around to explaining before? Do you want to see more Isabel and Farlan? Honestly, let me know in the reviews if there is anything, and if possible, I'll try to work it in. If I don't right away, it's probably because I'm going to do that later. I hope to hear from you guys :D see you in a month!


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